


Blinded by Hate

by hotchnersprincess



Series: Love Throughout Time [1]
Category: Criminal Minds (US TV)
Genre: Anal Sex, Brat, Butt Plugs, Canon-Typical Violence, Choking, Daddy Kink, Dom Aaron Hotchner, Emily Prentiss/Aaron Hotchner/Reader, Emily Prentiss/reader - Freeform, F/M, Face-Fucking, Fluff, Fluff and Smut, Hurt/Comfort, Kidnapping, Rope Bondage, Sir Kink, Smut, Spanking, Sub Aaron Hotchner, Switch Aaron Hotchner, Switch Reader, Threesome - F/F/M, Trauma, bisexual reader, brat taming, dom reader, sub Reader
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-03
Updated: 2021-02-11
Packaged: 2021-03-15 01:33:30
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 49
Words: 134,124
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29181066
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hotchnersprincess/pseuds/hotchnersprincess
Summary: Who knew someone who made you so mad could make you feel so good. You never imagined you would fall in love with him, and you never thought you could love someone so deeply.Aaron Hotchner x Fem!ReaderThis is copied from my Wattpad account, also called hotchnersprincess. If you prefer to read on there, then by all means do. The first few chapters are fairly short, but they pick up in length after a while.
Relationships: Aaron Hotchner/Reader
Series: Love Throughout Time [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2142342
Comments: 3
Kudos: 39





	1. Chapter 1

It was a normal fall day in Quantico, Virginia. The loud chirping of your alarm clock jolts you awake. You hated the damn thing, but you're a heavy sleeper, and it's about the only thing that will pull you from your deep sleep. Peeling yourself out of bed and into the bathroom was one of your least favorite things to do. The cold tile against your feet sent a shiver up your spine as you turned on the shower and let the water warm up. You quickly brushed your teeth and starred at the dark circles under your eyes. Stepping into the shower, you mentally prepared yourself for the day. It was supposed to be a normal paperwork day, but you had a sneaking suspicion that the team would be called into a case today.

After finishing your shower and getting dressed into your work clothes; a light grey turtleneck with a black blazer and dress pants finished with a pair of black heels that worked wonders on your ass. You applied minimal make-up, simple brows mascara, and lipstick, and pulled your now dry hair into a ponytail. Walking into your kitchen, you make your self a cup of coffee in your travel mug and burnt a piece of toast that you shortly after discarded. Checking the time on the wall, you left your apartment and headed to work. The Behavior Analysis Unit of the FBI.

You love working for the FBI, especially the BAU. It was a dream of yours since you were a little girl, chasing down bad guys and putting away serial killers was your dream. There was only one aspect of the job that you absolutely loathed. SSA Unit Chief Aaron Hotchner. That man could send you into a blind rage with a simple look, something that you quickly learned to control as to not show him the effect he has on you. You've never been sure of why you guys had butted heads so quickly into your employment at the BAU, but neither of you seemed to want to budge on the rivalry. And on occasion (all the time) you liked to give him some rather interesting names, SSA Hard-Ass-Hotchner, was your favorite. Although Hotch never seemed to take a likening to it.

After your short drive to the base, you parked your car and headed up to the 6th floor. You had never been late a day in your life, and today was no exception. Keeping up your perfect attendance was one of the many ways you ensured that Hotch wouldn't fire you for your under breath comments or your nicknames for him. Pushing the glass door to the BAU open, the familiar smell of stale coffee and freshly printed paper filled your nose. You walked straight to your desk, which sat in front of Derek Morgan who was currently badgering Emily Prentiss for information about her most recent date. In front of Emily's desk, hunched over like a bat, was Spencer Reid. He was reading some book about serial killers like he doesn't deal with them enough in his line of work. At the top of the catwalk stood David Rossi, one of your favorite people at the BAU. Most of the time you would smile at him and go to great him, however, he was currently engaged in a conversation with the one and only SSA Aaron-Piss-Off Hotchner (another one of your many nicknames for him).

You set your stuff down and inserted yourself into Emily and Derek's conversation

"Oh come on Emily! Just give me a little detail about him!" Derek pleaded

"Never in a million years would I give you information about my dating life, Morgan" Emily replied with a sigh

"Ha, she tells me everything, Morgan. Guess it sucks to be you" you tell him, sticking your tongue out at him.

Emily gives you a small glare to tell you to shut up. Little did Derek know that Emily had just gone on her first date with JJ last night. They were both very much in the closet, more so JJ than Emily, but they both wanted to keep it on the down-low. So you respected their privacy, knowing that Emily would surely tell you when she was ready.

Right on cue, JJ walked into the bullpen. 

"We have a case," She said shortly.

Everyone groaned and slowly walked to the conference room. You trailed behind, thinking to yourself that you were right about there being a case to go to. 

As you entered the room, you immediately regretted taking your time walking to the room. Looking at the table and the one seat available, your stomach dropped like a rock. There was only one chair open, in between Morgan and Hotch. You locked eyes with Morgan and gave him a pleading look, hoping that he would swap seats with you. The team knew of you and Hotch's dislike for one another and tried to ignore it most of the time, but the screaming matches in his office were hard to block out.

"Y/n just sit down, it'll take 10 minutes to debrief " Hotch spoke with his low gravely voice. The sound alone sent white-hot anger over your entire body. 

Sighing loudly, you sat down next to Morgan. You scooted your chair a few inches closer to Derek, to put as much distance between you and Hotch. He scowled his signature scowl before signaling JJ to start the case. You chewed on the inside of your cheek, a habit that had started shortly after you joined the BAU. You used it as a way to keep yourself quiet.

"We have an unsub in Atlanta disemboweling women." JJ started the case, you started to look through the case file and look at the crime scene photos. 

You heard Hotch speak and instinctually you blocked out what he was saying. At the end, you heard him say "Wheels up in 30." 

Immediately you jumped out of your chair like was burning you and put more distance between you and SSA Hot-Head-Hotchner.


	2. Chapter 2

Everyone was settled onto the jet, taking their normal seats. Emily and JJ sat next to each other, across from you and Morgan. Spencer was sprawled out on the couch, a book rising and falling with his chest as he breathed. Dave and Hotch were in the corner talking about the case.

Morgan was currently grilling you on your dating life, seeing that he hadn't gotten anywhere with Emily.

"Soooo, y/n. Seeing anyone recently?" he wiggled his eyebrows at you

"Oh, uh, no not really." You told him, and you were being unfortunately truthful. You dated a couple of guys in college and a few girls too, but you weren't going to tell Morgan that. They never stuck around for long, your work ethic didn't match with their party schedule. You went to the occasional party, but studying for a Ph.D. in psychology and a BA in criminal justice didn't leave time for parties.

His face fell again, disappointed that he didn't get any dirt from you or Emily. He didn't ask JJ, because she was supposed to be dating Will. No one but you and Emily knew that they had broken up recently. Morgan finally settled, putting on his headphones and listening to music. You read your book you brought with you, hearing quiet whispers between JJ and Emily. Out of the corner of your eye, you saw Emily grab JJ's hand under the table. A small smile spread across your face, getting confirmation that the date had indeed gone well.

As you all neared Atlanta, Hotch made his way to the middle of the cabin, clearing his throat. You immediately rolled your eyes at the noise. That was one of the many things he does that annoys the shit out of you.

"Alright, let's go over the case before we land." He told spoke as he took a seat on the couch, jolting Reid awake.

Once the team landed, everyone made their way off the plane and into the provided SUVs. Hotch, Rossi, and Prentiss got into the first one you, JJ, Morgan, and Reid got into the second one. Morgan followed behind Hotch to the Atlanta PD office. Once at the precinct, Hotch lead the team inside and introduced the team to the lead detective.

"Hi, I'm SSA Hotchner, this is SSA Morgan, Prentiss, and y/l/n. This is Doctor Reid and our Press Liaison, Agent Jareau" He told the detective

"We spoke on the phone, you can call me JJ," JJ told him as she shook his hand.

"Detective Harding, nice to meet you in person" the detective smiled at her.

"We have boards set up for you guys and you'll have this room to yourselves, let me know if you need anything." She told you all

"If you could have an officer take a few of my agents to the crime scene and another to the victim's house, that's all we need for now," Hotch told her. She went to go get you guys two officers while Hotch split the team up.

"Morgan and Prentiss go to the crime scene, JJ, y/n and I will go Vanessa Holden's house and speak to her parents. Reid and Rossi, work on the geographical profile." He told you all, you internally groaned as you heard that you were going to have to act pleasant towards Hotch while speaking to the family.

"Sir yes sir, SSA Kiss-My-Ass." You saluted him and did a stiff about-face and walked towards the coffee machine, hearing the stifled giggles of your colleagues. You heard angry footsteps behind you and felt a strong hand on your shoulder, pulling you around to face the person the hand belonged to.

"Oh look, it's SSA Small-Dick Hotchner of the BAU!" You smiled at him, shaking out of his grip.

"Y/n, this is completely out of line. I have done nothing to provoke you. It's like you go out of your way to piss me off." He growled at you, obviously very angry for both comments you made.

"You are lucky that I haven't written you up, much less fired you for your attitude towards me." He continued.

He took a breath and went to talk again, but you quickly cut him off "Then do it." you spat back, brushing past him to walk out of the station and into the waiting SUV.

He might be right that you often start many of the arguments between the two of you, but you couldn't help it. He made it so easy to do, practically serving the opportunities on silver platters to you.


	3. Chapter 3

After delivering the profile, the team soon realized that someone would need to go undercover to catch the unsub. Seeing that you and Prentiss match the victimology to a T, you both would be going undercover. The unsub was luring women out of bars and then slicing their abdomens open. You and Emily would need to look the part of young college students out for a good time. She drove both of you to a nearby dress shop, taking your time as you browsed dresses. You had more than enough time to find a dress and get ready before needing to go to the bar. 

"Okay, you have to spill Em. The tension between you and JJ could be cut with a knife, and you guys couldn't keep your eyes off each other." You asked her, wanting the same dirt Morgan did. 

"Alright, alright. I'll tell you. It was amazing. It was like we had been dating for years, it was so natural and easy. She's so perfect in every way, I can't believe I waited this long to kiss her." She gushed, her eyes lighting up as she spoke.

Your smile spread quickly across your face, "That's amazing, Em."

In the dressing room, you quickly tried the dress on. It was tight but left a few things to the imagination. The neckline dropped low, almost to the top of your stomach and there was a tall slit opening up to your mid-thigh. With the heels you were already wearing for work, you looked like you were ready for a night on the town. On your left, you saw Emily step out in a tight black dress. It hugged her sides and pushed her breasts almost out of the dress. She looked stunning.

Quickly paying for the dresses, you and Emily made your way back to the station. Both of you went straight into the locker room and started getting ready, doing dark eyeshadow and red lips. You pinned your hair up into a loose bun, while Emily took hers down and curled it lightly. Turning away from each other for a little privacy, you both slipped your dresses on.

While you both were putting on your shoes and jewelry, you hear a knock on the door.

"Come in" you both replied

Hotch walked in, he glanced at Emily before quickly raking his eyes up and down your body. You noticed the gesture, which made you want to knock his teeth out. 

Why did he look at you like that? More importantly, why was it slightly welcome on your end? Something in your head told you that you wanted him to look at you, which wasn't a good sign. 

"Ready?" he asked after the prolonged silence. Both of you nodded, walking out of the locker room.

As you both strutted into the station towards the door, you heard Morgan whistle at your appearance and you saw JJ turn a dark red as she saw Emily's tight dress. Reid tried to hide the slight flush of red on his face with the book in his hands, but couldn't tear his eyes off of the both of you. 

"You better keep that dress, otherwise I think JJ might kill you," you whispered to Emily, which caused her to elbow you hard in the side.

You sat in the back of the SUV with Emily as Hotch drove you both to the bar that the unsub was taking women from.

"Don't worry, you guys are there to attract the unsub, but we all will be in there with you. Due to the, um, nature of your clothes, neither of you will be able to wear a concealed gun. However, you will be able to hear us through the coms." He seemed flustered. You didn't know why, or maybe you choose to ignore why. You tried to keep yourself busy in the awkward silence of the car, messing with your fingernails. 

Once at the bar, you both entered. The loud wave of music and the stale smell of beer hit you hard. Unfortunately, you weren't allowed to drink tonight, being forced to order mocktails. As you and Emily stood at the bar, a tall man approached you. He had short blond hair, he wore glasses, and had a scar just above his eyebrow. Overall, he wasn't that bad looking, except for the fact that he's a serial killer.

"Hey, pretty lady" he greeted with a smug smile.

"Hey yourself" you responded through a clenched jaw, trying to make yourself seem approachable.

"Why don't we go somewhere a little quieter and talk?" He suggested with an evil glint in his eye. 

You nodded in agreement, ignoring the protests from Hotch and Morgan in your ear. You felt Emily's hand close on your wrist in an attempt to keep you in the bar, but you quickly shook it off. It wasn't part of the plan to go off alone with the unsub, but you figured that it was your best chance of catching him. As you left the bar, you locked eyes with Hotch as he was shaking his head slowly, hoping to keep you in the bar. You shook your head no back at him, knowing that you would be in a lot of trouble with him the second you left this bar.

As soon as you crossed the threshold of the bar, the man was pulling you into an ally. You yelped slightly in response, not expecting it. You felt the cold press of a knife against your abdomen and a low chuckle from the man holding it. 

"Looks like you're going to die tonight, whore." he hissed at you. It took everything in you to not react, seeing that he thrived off his victims' fear. You heard footsteps behind you and a gun cocked near your ear. 

"Drop the knife," Hotch spoke lowly, you could hear the fear for you in his voice. Something you had never heard. He pressed his gun harder into his temple. You heard Morgan and Emily behind you, Morgan with his gun drawn and Emily standing behind him. 

After what felt like hours of waiting, you heard a loud clatter of metal on the ground and the clicking handcuffs. You let out a breath you didn't know you were holding and felt your knees buckle from underneath you. Before you hit the ground Morgan rushed to your side, scooping you up into his arms. You felt Emily's hand on your back, guiding you to the SUV. The ride back to the station was quiet, you had quickly come down from the adrenaline. Hotch drove in a silent rage. You knew that you went against protocol, but you caught the unsub so what did it matter?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know that JJ wasn't on this case, but she's here anyway. This chapter is loosely based on Season 4 episode 9, 52 Pickup.
> 
> Be ready for some steamy scenes coming up. ;)


	4. Chapter 4

The elevator ride up to the 6th floor of the FBI building was filled with a loud silence. As the doors opened, everyone stepped out. Hotch was the last one to enter the bullpen, still wearing the angry expression he had since the second he knew you were okay in Atlanta. His face practically didn't move the entire flight, he was almost statue-like.

"Y/n, my office. Now." Hotch growled at you

"Everyone else, leave." He told the rest of the team.

You stood at your desk, saying a silent goodbye to everyone and maybe your job. Once everyone had left, you made your way up to Hotch's office, knocking before entering.

Hotch said nothing. He was sitting in the chair behind his desk, his head in his hands. He looked up as you took a seat in front of him. The silence in the room was louder than a jet engine. You waited for the real explosion.

"Sir, is there something you wanted to say?" You forced yourself to ask, not wanting to know the answer. You also decided against a mocking nickname, knowing that it would only make your situation much, much worse.

"What you did back in Atlanta was extremely unprofessional and reckless," he spoke with an unwaveringly calm voice, that sent a chill down your spine and the gravel in his voice sent a shock to your core. You could not be more confused, he never had this type of effect on you. Wetness pooled in between your legs as he continued to talk.

"You went against direct orders from me and almost got yourself killed in the process, not to mention you have been acting like a brat for months." He said, walking briskly to his door and shutting it with a snap. Him calling you a brat made you squeeze your thighs together in anticipation.

The slam of the door made you jump, putting you more on edge. The last time you were in his office and he closed his door like that, there was a very loud argument that followed. However this time, you didn't sense that same hostility. There was a different type of tension in the air. You took a breath to speak, but he cut you off.

"I guess the only way for me to keep you in line is to punish you." He said shortly.

The heat in your core radiated out, and your breath quickened, as you looked up at him with an innocent look. He grabbed you by the arm, pulling you to a standing position. He set his left hand on your hip, his right hand moving up to your throat. He didn't apply any pressure, just set it lightly on your neck, so you knew he had control.

Normally your first action would be to slap him across the face, but instead, you moaned softly at the feeling of his large hand around your neck. You leaned into his touch, feeling his hand snake around to your lower back. He pulled you flush against him and moved his right hand to grip your jaw tightly. You whimpered at the feeling of his quickly hardening cock against your stomach.

He tilted your head up and you locked eyes with him. His eyes hardened at the sight of you, a whimpering mess under his hand. Hotch moved his large hand to the back of your head and pulled you forcefully into a kiss. It was electric, sending a spark from your lips straight to your core. He kissed you with a hungry, bruising force. You wrapped your arms around his neck and moaned into his mouth, his cock twitching at the sound. He tapped your thighs as a signal for you to wrap your legs around him.

His arms then wrapped around your waist, pulling you further into his embrace. Hotch walked to the wall behind you, slamming you against it hard. You let out a sinfully loud moan at the hard contact of the wall against your back. He rolled his hips into yours, you letting out another moan at the contact of his hard cock against your clothed core. You took a moment to thank your past self for wearing a skirt on the ride home.

You moved your hands to his chest, feeling his heartbeat for a moment, before removing his tie and his blazer. He set you back down on the ground and pushed his hands under the hem of your shirt. His callused hands leaving a trail of goosebumps in their wake as he moved to unclip your bra. You finally broke the kiss to remove your shirt and let your unclasped bra fall to the ground. He never broke eye contact as he moved to take one of your nipples into his mouth, moving his hand to roll your other nipple in his fingers. You cried out at the waves of pleasure radiating from his hand and mouth.

"Hotch" you moaned, throwing your head back in ecstasy.

He stopped for a moment, grabbing your jaw to force you to look at him. You whining at the loss of contact.

"Daddy." He told you shortly. Your stomach flipping as he spoke.

You moaned in response before correcting yourself

"Oh, daddy" you cried as he pushed you to your knees.

You kept your eyes on his as he unbuckled his belt and unzipped his pants. Taking matters into your own hands, you pulled his pants and boxers down in one motion. Your jaw dropped as his fully hard cock slapped against his stomach, the tip shinning with precum. He started to unbutton his dress shirt, his chest slick with sweat.

You moved forwards, licking a stripe up his cock and closing your lips around the tip of his dick. He moaned at the contact and jutted his hips forwards slightly. You swirled your tongue around his tip, teasing him. Aaron Hotchner never puts up with teasing so he moved his hand to grip your hair tightly before shoving his entire cock into your mouth. The tip hitting the back of your throat, tears springing to your eyes. You moaned around his length and gagged lightly at the intrusion.

"I do not tolerate teasing little girl," he growled at you. Your eyes glassed over as the lack of oxygen made it hard to focus on anything but him. He pulled your hair, moving your head off his cock, and let you take a breath before slamming his dick further into your mouth, your nose hitting his abdomen. You relaxed your jaw and swallowed, he groaned at the feeling of your throat contracting around him. He took your slacked jaw as permission to move his dick at his own pace. He held your head still and started to move his cock in and out your mouth, starting slow but quickly picking up his speed.

"Take that you little slut, fuck, you really think you can defy my orders?" he grunted out as he continued to fuck your face hard. He bottomed out in your throat again, holding his cock there. You gagged again and moaned, looking up into his eyes with the most innocent look in your eyes you could muster. You swallowed hard around his cock and moaned, forcing him over the edge. He came with a loud grunt, shooting his hot cum down your throat. You lapped up every last drop, relishing in the taste.

"You did good, little girl," he said as he helped you to your feet. You smiled lightly, still breathing heavily. He tucked himself back into his pants and buttoned up his shirt.

"How about I take you home and show you how good you really did." You nodded, not being able to produce words. You were still in shock that your boss, someone you absolutely loathed, just came in your mouth. Much less, you let him do it and wanted him to do it again. You weren't quite sure why you let him, you're supposed to hate him. Nonetheless, you were going home with him, not wanting to take the time to figure out what this means.

He handed you your discarded shirt and bra and turned around to let you get dressed like he hadn't just had his cock shoved down your throat. You quickly got dressed and went to grab your things at your desk. He stepped out of his office, clearing his throat to get your attention. Which is something that would make you roll your eyes, but you didn't react at all. Ignoring the small voice in your head telling you that this is a bad idea, you headed out of the office with him and followed him to his work-issued SUV.


	5. Chapter 5

From the moment you got in Hotch's car, his hand was on your thigh. It started right above your knee. Every few minutes, he would inch his hand up a little higher. The anticipation was practically killing you. With each inch his hand moved, you felt your chest tighten. He finally reached your throbbing core, sliding his finger over your covered slit. You sighed at the contact, glad that he finally gave in to your desires. He hooked his finger into your panties and moved them to the side, plunging his middle finger into your cunt. A stifled moan slipped out as he continued to move his finger, curling it slightly to hit your g-spot. You bit your lip, so it acted as a gate to keep your moans in.

"I want to hear you, little girl, just let it all out." He told you, your reply consisting of a loud moan.

His thumb pressed down on your highly sensitive clit, circling it in time with his finger. Your eyes closed and you threw your head back at the pleasure. Without warning, he quickly withdrew his hand, you gasping at the loss of sensation. Opening your eyes, you saw that you had made it to his house. You didn't even notice the car stop, or turn off.

He quickly got out, you following in the same matter. After unlocking the door, he grabbed your arm and pulled you into his house. Wasting no time, he pressed his lips against yours, reaching behind you to push the door closed. He walked you backward, pressing you up against the door. You could feel his full erection pressing against your thigh as he kissed down your neck. He left a line of hickeys down your throat, biting the last one lightly. You moaned at the feeling of his teeth on your neck. His warm tongue slid up from the base of your neck to the bottom of your chin, before reconnecting his lips with yours. You wrapped your legs around his waist, sighing into the kiss as he carried you to his bedroom.

He set you down on his bed with a simple instruction.

"Strip." He tells you before turning on his heel and leaving you alone in his room.

You quickly removed all your clothes, sitting on the edge of the bed. After a while Hotch returned, holding a pair of handcuffs in his hands. You almost moaned at the sight, but you kept quiet. He raised his eyebrows slightly, silently asking if you were okay with it. You nodded eagerly before holding your wrists out to him, looking at him with wide eyes and a pouty lip.

"Keep looking at me like that little girl, and I'll be sure you regret it." He growled at you.

He attached the chain between your wrists to the hook in the middle of his headboard. Standing up straight again, he began removing his garments one at a time, taking his time. He started with his blazer, then his button-down. You groaned at his snail-like pace, but immediately wished you could take it back. He heard your wordless opinion and instantly slowed his pace. Unbuckling his belt and pulling it off, loop by loop. He then unbuttoned his pants and unzipped them at an agonizing pace. He toed his shoes off and pulled his socks off, and then pulled his pants off. He folded all his clothes before stacking them up on his dresser. Finally, he peeled off his boxers, freeing his large boner.

Sighing at the godlike man before you, you squeezed your thighs together wanting any type of release. He moved towards you, the bed dipping he crawled towards. His lips attached to yours, you moaned into his mouth at the contact. He kissed down your neck and into the valley of your breasts, continuing down your stomach. His hands trailing after his mouth, leaving goosebumps in their wake. You saw the red and purple marks he left in on your skin, which made you even wetter. You saw his head turn as he kissed the inside of your thighs, denying you his mouth where you really wanted it.

"Hotch, please" You pleaded, pulling against your restraints. The cuffs digging deep into your wrists.

"I've already told you once, and I won't tell you again little girl. You either call me Daddy or nothing at all." He growled as he reached to grip your jaw.

"Okay, Daddy." You replied, your words dripping with sarcasm.

His hand moved from your jaw to your neck, tightening around it. Your air almost completely cut-off, a whimper escaping from your lips.

"Brat."

He moved his open hand down to his cock, moving it to line up with your entrance. Without giving you a warning, he bottomed out into your wet hole. You screamed out at the wave of pleasure and pain. He held his hips flush with yours and waited for you to adjust to his size. You nodded to him, signaling him to start moving. He started moving his hips slowly, gradually increasing his pace. With each thrust, he hit your g-spot. You let out small whimpers in response to the snap of his hips, which pushed him to up his pace again.

"Oh Daddy, right there, please, yes Daddy." You sighed, spilling out nonsense words to push him further.

The room was filled with the stale smell of sex, the sound of your small whimpers, and the slap of your skin hitting his. With each thrust, his hand would squeeze your neck, pushing you further. As he neared his orgasm, he started to grunt at his impending release.

"You feel so good around me, little girl. Take all of me, you whore." You felt his dick twitch in you, causing you to clench around him. That nearly sent him over the edge, he quickly pulled out of you. He came on your stomach, the warm liquid spreading over your abdomen.

Without missing a beat, he quickly bent down and attached his lips to your throbbing clit. You moaned at the feeling of his tongue circling your clit. He jammed two fingers into your pussy, his free hand snaking up to roll one of your nipples in between his finger and thumb. You were a mess of moans and curses as he pulled you to the edge. Your eyes fluttered close at the sensation. He stopped everything he was doing.

"Eyes on me slut." He told you, before going back to your cunt. You forced your eyes open, attaching your gaze to his. The stimulation was all too much, and you came hard on his face with a stream of curses and moans. Your eyes never left his as your juices coated his mouth and face. He continued his motions until you came down from your high.

He stood up, grabbing the key to the handcuffs, he freed your hands. Your arms fell limp to your sides, and he left the room and into the bathroom. He returned with a wet towel, clothed in a pair of pajama pants, and cleaned off your stomach and thighs. Bending over, he grabbed your clothes that you had worn to his house and handed them to you. You quickly threw your clothes back on, realizing that he wanted you to leave.

"Okay.. well, I guess you should go." He said to you shortly

"Yeah, I'll go. See you Monday." You replied, before making a beeline to the door, hoping he didn't see the tears threatening to spill from your eyes.

Walking towards the driveway, you realized that you had ridden in his car on the way over and had no way to get home.

That asshole.

You pulled your phone from your purse, clicking on the first contact you could think of. Emily. She was the least likely to judge you, and she was your closest friend in the BAU, and the city to be honest.

"Hello?" she answered the phone, sounding very tired.

"Hey Em, I'm sorry to do this, but could you come pick me up?" you asked her

"Yeah, where are you?" she asked

You hesitated, not wanting to tell her the location of your evening's activities. Glancing a few houses down, you gave the address of a random house to her. You hoped she wouldn't connect the nearby location of your boss's house.

"Okay, I'm on my way" She replied

"Thanks." You said, ending the call.

As you walked to the address you gave, you let the tears fall down your face. You had heard about sub-drop but never experienced it. Well, it hurt like a bitch, to say the least. You felt dirty and used. You didn't expect him to cuddle and kiss you all night, but you would have at least liked a little comfort after he fucked you like a rag doll. As you thought about your situation, your tears streamed down your face faster. A lump forming in your throat. You sat down on the curb, hunching your shoulders and dropping your head while you waited for Emily to arrive.

You heard the hum of a car approaching, looking up to see a very tired Emily Prentiss at the wheel. Quickly wiping the tears from your face, you stood and opened the door to her car. You plopped down into the passenger seat, avoiding her eyes.

"Y/n, you know I love you, but you look like shit. There are about seven hickeys on your neck as well as a handprint, and you look like you've been crying for a while," she told you with a sad face.

"I know, Em. I really don't want to talk about it now though. I promise I will, just, not now. Please." You replied, letting your head drop again. You sniffled at the end of your sentence, making Emily's heart sink.

"Okay, please tell me if you need anything. You know I'm always here for you, y/n" She told you, reaching out to rub your shoulder as she drove you home.

One thing you did learn is that you do, in fact, hate Aaron Hotchner.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> He's kinda a dick, but it gets better.


	6. Chapter 6

The drive to your apartment was filled with a comfortable silence. You were glad that Emily didn't pry. You'd tell her eventually, just not now. She pulled up to your apartment complex, and you climbed out of her car, muttering a quiet thank you. Walking quickly to your door, you turned around to wave bye to Emily. As you entered your apartment, the dam finally broke. A strangled sob fell out as you slid down to the ground against your door. Hot tears rolled down your cheeks as you sat on the floor.

I can't believe that for one second I thought he could be a good person, that he could actually care about another person besides himself.

You weren't sure how much time passed before you forced yourself to move from your entryway to your room. Not bothering to remove any clothes you curled up on your bed, leaving your shoes on as well. You fell into a dreamless sleep, your tears dampening the pillow under your head. It felt like immediately after you fell asleep, the sun was shining through the window in your room, waking you. 

You peeled yourself out of bed, pulling your heels off and shedding your clothes from the night before. You got into the shower, not bothering to let the water warm up. The cold water sending goosebumps all over your sink, the water slowly heating from freezing to scalding. You stood under the hot water, steam filling the bathroom until it ran cold again. You scrubbed your skin raw, trying to get any remnants of the night prior, to wash away. You scrubbed each hickey and bite mark on your skin, wishing you could scrape away the bruises. After your shower, you put on an oversized sweater and a pair of boxer shorts.

Walking into your kitchen, you made yourself a cup of coffee. You quickly drained the cup, setting it in your empty sink. Looking at the clock on your wall, it read 11:18 am, you sighed. Glancing at your phone, you saw a few missed calls and texts.

Missed Call: Emily Prentiss, 8:03 am

Missed Call: Emily Prentiss, 8:57 am

Missed Call: Emily Prentiss, 9:34 am

You clicked her contact and returned her call, listening to the dull ringing of your phone as you stared at the bare walls of your apartment. 

"Y/n, how are you?" She picked up, getting straight to the point.

"I'm fine." You said shortly, not wanting to elaborate.

"Okay, I'm going to go out on a limb and say you're not fine. Please talk to me, I can come over or you can come here, just please tell me what happened." Emily pleaded on the other end of the line.

"Yeah, you can come over." You told her, hearing her car start through the phone. "Were you already in your car?" You asked with a slight laugh.

"Uh, yeah. I was going to come over whether you said yes or no..." She trailed off

"Thanks, Em," you said with a sad smile, hanging the phone up.

You waited for her to pull up to your apartment, putting on a fresh pot of coffee, and cleaning up your living room to pass the time. Hearing a gentle knock at your door, you made your way over to let Emily in. Opening the door, you smiled lightly. Without a second thought, she pulled you into a hug. Against your will, tears started falling down your face again. Your knees buckled and you fell further into her arms. She rubbed circles on your back until your tears dried against your skin.

She moved you guys to the couch, letting your head rest on her chest as she clicked the tv on. A cheesy Hallmark movie was playing, and you let your mind wander. You wished things could be that easy. Eventually, the movie ended and you sat up away from her. She looked at you with a sad look in her eyes before taking a breath to speak.

"Y/n, talk to me. Please, I hate seeing you look all sad." She prompted, looking at you with questioning eyes.

"Okay," you responded before taking her through last night's events. You told her everything, leaving out one small detail. She didn't need to know who you were with, you told her you met the guy at a bar.

"Oh, y/n," she said with a sad tone, "I'm so sorry that happened."

She pulled you into a tight hug, sliding her arms up your back. You sat in her arms until you both heard her phone ringing in her pocket. She pulled her phone out answering it quickly before you had time to read the caller id.

"Prentiss" she answered, listening to the person on the other end of the phone.

"Okay, okay. No, I'll tell her, I'm with her now. Thanks, Hotch." She quickly hung up the phone. You hoped she didn't see you stiffen at the mention of Hotch's name.

"We have a case," she told you, standing up to gather her things. "I'm going to head home and get changed, I'll see you at the office."

You sighed, standing to walk her to the door.

"Thanks, Em. You helped a lot more than you know," you told her as she walked out to her car.

"Anytime, y/n." She said as she sat down into her car.

You turned to walk back into your apartment to get dressed, pausing to wave to her as she drove away. You grabbed a white button-down and put it on before putting your sweater back on over it. You paired it with a mid-length black pleated skirt and your trusty black converse. Walking into the bathroom, you caked on concealer and foundation on your neck. Normally you don't wear foundation to work, but seeing that your eyes were sunken and puffy from crying, you applied foundation to your face. After swiping on mascara and lipstick, you grabbed your purse and briefcase and headed to work. 

Once you got to the base, you climbed out of your car and walked to the elevator. In the elevator, you pulled your phone out to check the texts that you forgot about. 

Hotch: I had a good time y/n. 2:17 am

Hotch: Did you get home safe? 2:33 am

Hotch: Y/n? You're scaring me, please let me know you're okay. 2:58 am

As you read each text, you felt anger in case your entire body. Normally texts like that would make you happy after a night like that, but seeing that he dropped you like a pot that was burning him, you settled on anger. You stomped over to your desk dropping your briefcase with an angry sigh, shutting your phone off. Looking up to see everyone around the round table in the conference room, you made your way up to be debriefed with the rest of the team. Walking in, you see that once again the only seat open is next to Hotch.

"Finally, y/n. Have a seat so we can get started." He told you, gesturing to the open seat next to him.

"No. I think I'll stand, rather than sit next to you." You say through gritted teeth, the team looking up to you in confusion.

Hotch let out a loud sigh and JJ started to introduce the case. 

"We have an LDSK in Des Plaines, Illinois," JJ told the team.

"LDSK?" You questioned from your standing position.

"Long Distance Serial Killer," Spencer told you.

"Yeah, luckily there's been no deaths, but no one saw the unsub." JJ continued.

"And he's not taking a break, so wheels up in 30." Hotch dismissed everyone from the conference room. You started to quickly walk away before hearing your name called by the one person you don't want to talk to. 

"Y/n, can I speak to you in my office?" Hotch asked you, walking past you to open the door to his office.

Against your better judgment, you followed him into his office. 

"What can I do for you, sir?" you asked him, your voice coated in anger. His eyes darkened as he heard your tone. 

Moving towards you, he wrapped his hand around your throat, pushing you against the door. 

"You better watch your tone, brat" he growled at you.

Without another thought your hand moved quickly and precisely, a loud snap cutting through the air. You slapped him, leaving a red hand mark on his face. His jaw dropped at your action, removing his hand from your neck.

"Fuck you, Aaron." You spat at him, quickly leaving his office without another word.

You stomped over to your desk, gathering your purse, briefcase, and go bag. After double-checking that you had everything you needed, you headed over to the elevator.

"Hold the door, Em!" you called to her, slipping through the doors at the last minute.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know that Emily and Rossi weren't on the show yet when this case happened, but I decided to do it anyway.


	7. Chapter 7

At the station in Des Plaines, you were working on the geo-profile with Spencer. So far, you hadn't said a word to Hotch since you slapped him in his office. He tried a few times on the plane to corner you, but you ignored him and went to go talk to Emily or Morgan. The mental image of you slapping him played over in your mind like a terrible movie. You didn't mean to slap him, you didn't want to. Yet, the clip played over and over. Your small hand connecting with his hard face. You could still feel his rough stubble under your fingertips and the feeling of his hot breath fanning across your face as his large hand encompassed your neck.

Stop thinking about his breath on your face, y/n. Pull it together. You hate him.

While lost in your thoughts, you hadn't realized that Spencer was talking to you. His hand waving in your face pulled you back to reality. "Y/n? You in there?" he asked with a worried expression.

"Yeah, yeah. Sorry, I was just thinking, must have spaced off." You replied with a shrug.

"Oh, okay. Well, I think I have the geographical profile done. I'll call Hotch, and let him know we're done." He told you, pulling out his ancient phone. Your shoulders tensed and your breath hitched when he mentioned Hotch, which Reid immediately noticed.

Of course, he would notice, he's a profiler. Duh.

"That's the second time you've had a reaction to his name like that. It's different than how you normally react. What happened? Did he do something last night in his office?" He questioned you.

Your breath hitched again, the events of last night flashing through your head. You could still feel his arms around your waist and his hot breath on your neck. Shaking the images from your mind, you took a breath to respond. "Oh, uh. No, he just said that if I did something reckless like that again, he would have to suspend me from the team and I'd have to get evaluated." You told him with a quick shrug, hoping that he takes the answer you give. 

"Okay..." He trailed off, dialing Hotch.

-

Hotch and Reid went to the hospital that all the victims were taken to. The profile led the team to believe that the unsub worked at the hospital, saving the victims he shot. While they were at the hospital, the rest of the team helped Garcia go through employment records. The unsub would have had military training and moved from hospital to hospital, not being able to hold down a job for long.

"Here's one, Phillip Dowd. He was in the Army, which he left with a dishonorable discharge. He joined the Arlington Police, but he was fired after 9 months because he lied about his dismissal from the army. He's employed at the Arlington Hospital Emergency Room." You read out his file to the rest of the team

"He matches the profile." Rossi agrees with you, calling Hotch.

"Hotch, our potential unsub is Phillip Dowd. He's a nurse in the Arlington Emergency Room, and he's scheduled to be working now." Rossi told Hotch.

-

Hotch's POV

"Okay, Rossi." You told Rossi, "Go find Phillip Dowd, he's a nurse." you told Spencer.

Spencer turned on his heel and started to quickly walk away. You watched him scurry down the narrow hallway, before the but of a gun hit his temple. Reid fell to the ground, clutching his head. The man carrying the gun started to point his gun at you, your heartbeat spiking slightly. Instinctually, you moved your hands to grab the pistol sitting on your hip. You pointed the gun at the man you presumed was Phillip Dowd. Rossi was still on the other end of the cell phone call, trying to get an answer from you. They must have heard the commotion in the ER through the phone. Phillip fired a few rounds into a surge protector, the lights in the ER going out. You saw the call end, know that the team was on their way to you. 

"Nobody moves and nobody dies," Phillip announced to the ER, training his gun on you.

"My gun is on full auto. You fire, I go down shooting." He tells you. After a second, you set your gun down on the table in front of you, raising your hands. He moves quickly to take your gun off the table. You shifted slightly, feeling the familiar weight of your extra gun against your ankle.

"Get up! Get over here!" He yelled at Spencer. You watched Reid quickly stand before walking over to where you were standing. 

"You, take your partner's gun, and put it on the table," Phillip said to you, using the end of his gun to point to Reid. Spencer flinched at the action. 

"He's not armed, see for yourself." You told him, knowing that Reid didn't carry a gun unless it was necessary. He didn't feel a need to bring a gun to a hospital. Phillip had the security guard put zip-ties around yours and Reid's wrists, before having him secure a pair around his own. 

"Sit down." He told you and Reid. You stayed standing for a bit, while Spencer practically fell to his knees. Taking your time, you sat down in the chair behind you. 

"Now, what kind of FBI agent doesn't carry a gun?" He asked Spencer with a taunting voice. 

"I'm a profiler, I don't see the need in bringing a gun everywhere. I didn't think I'd need it, seeing that we're in a hospital." Reid squeaked out, you could hear the fear in his voice and the lump in his throat. 

"Oh, so you figured me out. Huh?" he asked Reid.

"Yeah, that's how we found yo-" Reid started, but you cut him off. "Shut up, Reid." You hissed at him, deciding that bullying Spencer would be the best way to establish some connection with Phillip.

"No, don't shut up. Tell me what you think you know." He pointed his gun at Spencer again as he looked up to you, to ask for permission.

"Go ahead, genius, tell him. But remember if you get it wrong, he'll kill you." You muttered at Spencer. The sound the small gasps and screams of the hostages filtered around, as you told Reid what would happen. Dowd brandished his gun, taunting Spencer with the possibility of a bullet shooting out of it. 

Reid took Phillip through the profile, not getting a single aspect wrong. You saw Phillip shift uncomfortably, knowing that Spencer was right. You told Dowd to move the hostages against the doors, you told him that SWAT was most likely waiting outside them. They wouldn't shoot civilians, it would ruin their career.

"They knew you're in here." You said lazily, not wanting him to see the slight fear behind your eyes.

"Knew?" Phillip questioned, catching on to your words. 

"No, they know." You corrected yourself quickly. "You said 'knew'" Phillip said with an evil smile.

"What does it matter?" Spencer asked in a small voice.

"Go ahead boss-man, tell him. But I wouldn't get it wrong or leave anything out, or I'll kill you." Phillip told you, cocking his head towards you. Spencer let out a small gasp at the thought.

"They sent me in here, with a boy who can't shoot his way out of a wet paper bag. They set me up, there's no way I'm getting out alive." You said, practically growling at Spencer. He flinched away from you.

"Sounds about right." Phillip let out a low chuckle. 

"Well, before you do anything, at least let me kick the snot out of the kid," You asked Dowd, hoping Spencer knew to grab the gun on your ankle. "I've worked with him for years, and all he does is spout useless knowledge and act like he knows everything." 

"Go ahead" Phillip nodded.

You shoved Spencer, kicking your right foot under his side, only your shin coming into contact with his abdomen. You felt his hand grab ahold of the gun, adding a few more kick while he concealed the gun under him. 

Phillip laughed as you walked away from the small mass of Spencer on the ground, but his face quickly fell. He looked down at the empty holster on your ankle. Before he could do anything, Spencer rolled to his back. He shot Phillip square between the eyes, his body crumpling to the ground. 

"FBI, Federal Agent!" You yelled, going to open the door to the ER for the waiting SWAT team. 

You walked out of the emergency room, stopping for a second to have the plastic removed from your wrists. Once you made it to your team, you saw Emily holding y/n in place. When y/n connected her eyes with yours, her knees buckled and Emily caught her. You went to go comfort her, but before you could say a word, she left the hospital. Without thinking, you ran after her.

She was standing right outside the door, her face in her hands. You could see her shoulders shaking with a sob, your heart dropping at the sight. You set your hand on her lower back, feeling her turn around towards you. You took a breath to speak, but she cut you off. Her lips pressed firmly against yours, moving her hand to graze the back of your neck. She moved her soft lips against yours slightly. You wrapped your hands around her waist, pulling her into your embrace. You felt her small hands move to your chest, feeling your fast heartbeat and heavy breath. As you went to kiss her harder, you felt resistance from her. A small push came from her arms, moving herself backward. You looked at her confused, before seeing her shake her head at you. She couldn't meet your eyes as she walked away, tears refilling her eyes. You watched her climb into the driver seat of one of the SUVs and drive away without another glance.


	8. Chapter 8

Your POV:

Standing outside of the doors to the ER was like ripping your fingernails off, one by one. You couldn't sit still. Your knee bounced when you sat, and you rocked from foot to foot when you stood. Rossi was currently trying to hold off SWAT for a little while longer. Emily had JJ's hand fastened in hers, not caring the team was present. Morgan walked the same path back and forth, pacing.

"Time's up, we're going in." The leader of the SWAT team announced, your heart dropping.

When everyone heard the pop of a gun from the ER, the room erupted into chaos. You sprung to your feet and headed straight to the destination of the gunshot. For some reason, your feet wouldn't let you continue moving. Looking around, you saw JJ and Emily holding onto you, keeping you in your spot.

Off in the distance, you heard a voice yell, "FBI, Federal Agents." His face appeared in the doorway. You saw Hotch step through the threshold of the ER, his and Spencer's wrists bound by plastic. With a small gasp, your knees gave out, Emily and JJ catching you before you hit the ground. His dark eyes connected with yours as he walked to comfort you, but you felt yourself walking out of the hospital into the cool, fall air.

At some point, you had started crying, but once you were outside, a sob ripped through your throat. Your head dropped into your hands. A hand set on your lower back, you turn to face the person behind you. Before you could convince yourself otherwise, you pushed your lips against his, firmly. Moving your lips slightly, you laced your fingers in his hair. Strong hands wrapped around your waist and pulled you further into Hotch's embrace. Wanting further confirmation that he was really alive, you moved your hands to his chest. The strong rhythm of his heartbeat pressing into your fingertips, his heavy breathing moving your hand. What made you push him away, you didn't know, but you did. You couldn't meet his eyes. You couldn't stay there with him. You just, couldn't. You wanted to, but you couldn't.

As you climbed into the SUV, you kept your gaze away from his. Starting the car, you drove away from him, seeing him watch you leave. You could either be a responsible adult and go back to the hotel, or you could go find a bar, get wasted, and wake up with no memory of the night.

You decided to be a responsible adult and go to the hotel, and drink from the mini bar in your room. You also had a bottle of tequila in your briefcase, for emergencies.

Once you were in your room, you grabbed your briefcase and quickly rolled the number dial under your thumb, 2370. You clicked the open button, only to find that it hadn't unlocked. After checking the numbers again, you decided to scramble the numbers and try again 2370. Nothing. Again.

You picked the case up and realized that it felt a lot heavier than normal. You looked at the front top right corner. There was a set of initials pressed into the nice Italian leather.

A.H.

You cursed under your breath and set the case back down.

Great, just great. I must have grabbed it when I was leaving his house, and now I have to go talk to him after I jumped him in the parking lot of a hospital and then left without a word.

Grabbing the handle, you swung the case roughly as you walked to his room, hoping to mess up any organization he had inside. Maybe you were still harboring a little anger about the other night. You rapped your knuckles lightly against the wooden door of his hotel room. Listening quietly, you heard footsteps approach the door. Hotch pulled the door open, his eyebrows furrowing slightly when he saw it was you.

You held the briefcase out, "I must have grabbed your case on my way out." you muttered quietly. His hand reached out to take the case from you, his fingertips brushing over the top of your hand. The light connection sending goosebumps running up your arm.

"Oh, thanks. You can come in... if you'd like that is." He offers, walking away from the open door. Standing in the doorway like an idiot, he turned around to see you standing in the doorway, "Or not. It's up to you y/n."

Against the protests screaming in your head, you felt your feet move you into the small hotel room. Looking around you saw a few files on the desk, a bottle of scotch next to an empty glass, and his blazer and tie laying neatly on the bed. He gestured for you to sit in the armchair adjacent to the desk, your feet moving you to the chair against your will, again.

Huh. The last time he did that I wanted to claw his eyes out. Shit.

"Scotch?" He offered you, which you eagerly accepted, shaking the thoughts from your head.

He handed you a glass, his brushing against yours again. You felt his hand trail down to your knee. Draining the glass quickly, you felt the alcohol burn your throat and cloud your head. His hand reached up to brush your hair behind your ear, holding your face. He tipped your face up to look at him before leaning in and kissing you lightly. You set your hand against his chest, remembering the feeling of his heartbeat from earlier. Before you could stop it, there were tears trailing down your face again. Hearing your sniffle, he pulled back looking deeply into your eyes.

Standing quickly, you wiped the tears off your face and made your way to the door. His rough but gentle hand grabbed your shoulder, stopping you in your tracks. "Y/n, I can't let you leave like this. I'm sorry I kissed you, I miss read the situation." He apologized, holding gaze in yours.

"I thought you were going to die." You said quietly, tears welling in your eyes again. "I was out of my mind waiting in that waiting room, I thought you got shot. At that moment I thought you were dead." You tell him, your voice still quiet.

"But I didn't die y/n. I'm right here, I didn't get shot. I'm here. Right here." He told you, trying to bring you into his arm. You squirmed out of his reach, knowing that his touch would further cloud your judgment.

"I can't even wrap my head around the fact I was worried about you. I shouldn't care about you. I can't care about you. Why would I care, I'm mad at you." Your voice raising from a whisper to a normal volume.

"W-why are you mad at me? Because I didn't die?" He asked with a slight chuckle.

"No, I'm mad about what you did that night. You know, that night." You tell him, his confusion increasing.

"If I did something that you didn't want to do, y/n, you should have just told me. I would have listened, and you have to believe me on that." He told you, taking your hand in his.

Pulling your hand away, you responded "It's what you didn't do, Hotch."

"What didn't I do, I mean you finished. Didn't you?" He asked

"Yeah, I finished. And then you proceeded to drop me out on the street with no way to get home. I had to call Emily, and let's just hope for your sake that she didn't put two and two together because if she did. Well, let's just say I'll help her hide your body." Your voice raised again, taking a step towards him. Surprisingly, he flinched slightly at your tone.

"I-I don't know what to say." He says after a bit.

Making your way to the door, you tell him "There's nothing to do, it's already done. Just say bye and leave at that, Aaron."

Closing the door behind you, a sigh falls out of your mouth.

Well at least we know that's over. Now we can move on.

The only problem being that you didn't want to move on. Whatever was wrong in your head that caused you to feel something for Aaron was still wrong.

Deciding that the best way to forget was to, indeed, get wasted. The plane was leaving in the morning at 7 am, which would give you time to sleep on the jet, although the flight would be short. Getting back to your hotel room, you realized that you still don't have your briefcase. So your only options are the mini bar in your room or the bar in the lobby. Settling on the lobby, you made your way to the elevator.

The bar was practically empty, besides the one person sitting at the bar.

Emily.

She looked sad, which you hated. You approached her, sitting down and ordering a glass of whisky.

"Hey, Em." You said with a sad tone.

"Hey, y/n." She replied with the same tone and a sigh.

"What happened?" You asked her, not meaning to pry. "Oh nothing, JJ, and I just kinda ended whatever was between us. She said she still loves Will." You could see the tears filling her eyes, her head hanging lowly as she told you.

You reached to pull her into a hug, which she compiled immediately to. Her tears dampening your shirt. "I'm so sorry Em, I really am" you traced a light pattern on her shoulder as she stopped crying.

After a while, she pulled out of your arms. She ordered a few shots of tequila for each of you. You both took turns downing shot after shot.

You don't remember much after you guys started taking shots, however, you do remember drinking a lot of alcohol.

A loud blaring noise could be heard far off in the distance, before quickly becoming very loud. The beeping of your alarm sending waves of pain through your head.

You heard someone in the room groan at the noise, startling you. Hesitantly, you rolled to your side to look at the person who made the noise. A loud gasp left your mouth as you saw who was laying in your bed.

There was a very certain dark-haired person laying in your bed. They were stark naked, as were you. Quickly scrambling out of bed, you grabbed your suitcase and shut yourself in the bathroom.

You could hear the other person in the room moving around, you weren't sure you entirely wanted them to leave. You started the shower, letting the water warm up before stepping in.

A light knock on the door startled you, and you heard the door squeak open.

"Mind if I join you?" They asked.

"Not at all" You replied.

You heard the door shut and saw the shower curtain pull back slightly as Emily climbed into the shower with you.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys don't hate me for the end of this chapter 😅. This is still a hotch fic I promise. I love you guys always <3


	9. Chapter 9

You rode with Emily on the way to the airstrip. It was a quiet drive, but the uncomfortable tension was evident. You could practically see the waves of awkward hanging in the air. 

"Emily, we have to talk about it. We can't just sweep it under the rug." You sigh, she replied with a sigh as well. "Okay, well. Do you regret it?" she asked you.

You stop to think for a moment before speaking, "No, of course not. But, I don't think it should happen again." You tell her quietly, not wanting to offend her. "I agree, about both things. We were just drunk." She says with a slight laugh.

"I only ask one thing, Em. I don't want things to be weird between us, I just want to go back to the way things were." Which was true. From the moment you woke up to when you guys were kissing in the shower, you were worried that you guys couldn't be friends after this. 

"I want that too, as long as we can laugh about it later. Because it's not that bad of a story." She lets out a louder laugh. "Also we cannot tell anyone, Morgan will hold it over our heads like a knife forever. And I really don't want JJ to know."

 _Or Hotch,_ you think to yourself

"Why Hotch?" She looks over at you with a questioning look. 

_Oh god, I said that out loud._

"You know, because he's our boss, and I think he'd be against his employees sleeping together on a case." You tell her, too quickly, "Riight, not because you slept with him?" she says with a knowing smile.

"I did not!" You say, again, too quickly. "Yeahhhh and we didn't sleep together either." she elbows you in the ribs with a wink.

"Alright, we slept together once. It was that night you had to pick me up on the side of the road." You said sheepishly, knowing that she was about to get angry.

You were right, her smile turning into a frown and her eyes darkening. " _He_ did _that_ to you? I swear to god the moment I see him I will kill him." Her voice raised to a yell as she pulled up to the airstrip. She immediately jumped out of the car, grabbing her bags and strutting towards the jet. You grabbed your bags too and ran to catch up with Emily.

"Emily, _please._ Don't say anything and don't do anything." You pleaded 

"How can I _not_ do anything, y/n. He wrecked you mentally and physically. He hurt you. The shit he did was unforgivable. He _left_ you on the street with no way to get home and a handprint and bite mark on your neck. I swear to god, I'm going to punch his teeth in." She started stepping up the stairs to the jet, the anger rolling off her in waves. 

Once on the jet, she threw her things down and walked over to Hotch. Not wanting to watch what was happening, you turned your head. The next thing you heard was Emily yelling something at Hotch and a crisp slap. Your head looked over quickly to see Hotch holding his face and Emily walking away proudly to sit next to you at the table. 

Luckily, the rest of the team wasn't on the jet to witness the transaction between Emily and Hotch, they only missed it by mere minutes. The three of you sat in silence, but you could see the anger radiating off of Hotch. Shortly after the rest of the team joined you guys on the jet, the plane took off making its way back to D.C. 

_Damn, I forgot how hot Hotch looks when he's mad._

_Snap out of it y/n, you were just trashing him minutes ago._

_Yeah, but look at him. His large hands and that angry expression. I can just imagine him bending me over his desk and spanking me while the team sits 20 feet away. Him shoving his cock down my throat as he moans. Him ramming himself into my cunt as I scream out his name. Sweat and curses filling the air as he fucks me relentlessly. I can still feel his lips on mine as he juts his hips into me._

_Oh. My. God. Y/n. You **have** to stop. You can't be thinking about him like. _

_Well, why not? What's wrong with that? Why can't I want him to bend me over his desk? Why can't I want him to control my orgasms and tie me up like a doll? Why can't I want him?_

_Because you're supposed to hate him.  
_

_Well, what if I don't want to hate him anymore. What if I just want to be done with the rivalry and the nicknames and just let him have his way with me._

_But what if you fall in love with him. You know you can't do that. You fall in love like it's breathing._

_What if I want to love him? What if I want him to love me?_

The plane landing pulled you out of your thoughts, you had been thinking about him and fighting with yourself for the entire flight. You grabbed your things and bolted off the plane, taking your place in one of the SUVs the team had driven there on Saturday. Morgan got into the driver's seat, JJ in the passenger seat. Emily and you in the backseat. In the other SUV were Hotch, Rossi, and Reid. Once back at the office, the team worked quietly in the bullpen for the rest of the day.

After you went through a few cases and recommendations your mind started to wander as you looked up into Hotch's office.

_God, why does anything he do turn me on?_

_Can you stop being horny for one minute and do your work, y/n?_

_Nope._

_Well, can you stop staring at your boss? Because he's just caught you._

You quickly averted your eyes, going back to the file on your desk. The sound of Emily clearing her throat at you caught your attention. She was looking at you with a slight frown, she had seen you watching Hotch.

"Y/n? What was that? You were just staring at him like he was candy." She dropped her voice as she accused you, which you scoffed at in return. " _No_ I wasn't, I just spaced off and it happened to be in that direction." Which was a bold face lie. 

"Y/n, he _hurt_ you." She said in a whisper, so she didn't attract the attention of Reid and Morgan. You stood up and grabbed her to pull her into the hallway so that your coworkers could hear what you said. 

"I kissed him last night, Em. Twice. And I want to do it again. I can't get him out of my head, the entire flight back, I was thinking about him." You tell her, and you could see her heartbreak for you.

"I can't keep you from doing what you want, but I will tell you that I think you should _really_ think about this before you do something. I don't want to see you get hurt again, and if he does the same thing again I will do a lot worse than slap him." She says sternly before walking away. You walk back into the bullpen after her, taking your seat again. 

You tried to keep from thinking about Hotch and get through your work, but every now and then he would jump into your head like a very attractive pop-up ad. After fighting off your thoughts, you finally finished your cases for the day around 8 pm _._ You walked up to Hotch's office with all your files and knocked on his open door before walking in. He gestured at the top corner of his desk for you to sit your files down. You walked up to his desk and set your work down, leaning down enough for your cleavage to peak out of the top of your shirt. His eyes flitted down to your chest for a second before moving back up to meet your eyes. Clearing your throat, you turned around to walk out of his office. Feeling his eyes on your ass, you let your hips swing a little more. 

"Good night, _sir_." You said lowly. 

You were playing a dangerous game, but it was a game you were willing to lose.


	10. Chapter 10

Looking down you see a head between your legs with dark hair. Waves of pleasure were rolling through your body and moans were leaving your mouth. Your hands were entwined in the short locks of dark hair and your hips ground down on the mouth connected to your clit. Two fingers pushed into your pussy, curling up to hit your g-spot. The head turned up to reveal the face of Aaron Hotchner. He crawled up to your face, kissing you roughly. Without warning, he plunged into you, both of you letting out a loud moan. His fingers dug into your hips as he thrust deep inside you. You could feel yourself getting close to cumming, and right as you were about to fall over the edge...

You jolted awake, you could feel a puddle of wetness in between your legs. That was the fourth dream you had had about Hotch since you left his office a week ago. It was Monday again and you weren't going to be late, so you pulled yourself out of bed and got into the shower. You had slept through your first alarm, so you wouldn't have time to take care of the ache between your legs. After quickly washing yourself, you got out of the shower and brushed your hair. Deciding to let your hair air dry, you applied minimal make-up and got dressed for work. It was starting to get colder in Virginia, so you put on a nice pair of jeans and a long-sleeved button-down. You went with miss-matched socks for luck and a pair of low topped blue chucks. Once in the kitchen, you made yourself a quick cup of coffee and made your way to work.

It was a quiet day in the office, no cases had come in. You were supposed to be working on a recommendation for a field office in Texas, but you were thinking about your dream. Glancing up to Hotch's office, you saw him looking out into the bullpen at you. Like she could smell it, Emily caught on too. She coughed obnoxiously loud at you, which you glared at her for. Taking your eyes off of Emily, you pulled your phone out and when into your messages.

_Y/n: You should invite me into your office so that you can punish me for not doing my work, Daddy._

Looking up, you saw Hotch grab his phone and read your messages. When he looked back down into the bullpen, you popped another button open on your shirt.

"I swear, y/n. If you go have sex with him in his office, I will walk in and quit while you are doing it." Emily warned you. Your phone buzzed and both yours and Emily's eyes dropped to your desk.

Picking your phone up, a dark flush spread across your face as you read the text.

_Hotch: I would love to, little girl. I'd love to bend you over my desk like the whore you are, but we have work to do._

You could feel wetness start to pool in between your thighs again.

_Y/n: Pleaseeee, Daddy? It's been so long since I've came._

_Hotch: Oh little girl, I will make you cum, but you need to be patient._

_Y/n: I had a dream about you this morning, Daddy ;)_

After sending the text, your phone left your hand. You looked up to see Emily holding your phone, reading the messages between you and Hotch. Quickly standing, you reached for your phone, but Emily moved it out of your reach. After she was done reading, she handed you your phone back with a smug look on her face.

She laughed before speaking "My. God. Y/n. You really are dirty, I thought I was just making that up from that one night." She whispered to you, a wave of red spreading across your face.

When your phone buzzed again, you both read the text from Hotch.

_Hotch: Oh really? What happened? Was Daddy teaching you a lesson for being naughty?_

Looking up from your phone to Hotch's office, he saw that Emily had also read the message. She was laughing behind you as she saw Hotch shut the blinds and walk over to the door.

"Y/n, can I see you in my office for a moment?" He asked sternly from his doorway.

You walked up to his office, a slight laugh leaving your mouth as Emily winked at you. Once you had gotten through the door, Hotch slammed it firmly behind you. He let out a sigh as he walked to sit back behind his desk, taking a moment to collect his thoughts before speaking.

"Why did _Emily_ read my messages to you?" He asked you angrily.

You hesitated before speaking, "Well, um, she was looking at something on my phone and she saw that last message." Lying through your teeth.

"Then why didn't she look _remotely_ surprised at the nature of my message? Most people would be shocked about a boss texting a subordinate like that." He asked you, still wearing the same glare. The glare which never fails to turn you on.

"Okay, well. Some stuff happened in Illinois that lead to me telling her about that night, which is why she slapped you on the plane last week." You admitted, looking at your feet. After a bit of silence, an idea popped into your head. You moved over to stand in front of him, before sitting down on his lap, straddling him.

"Are you going to _punish_ me, Daddy? For being a _bad_ girl?" You asked him with a pout, looking him straight in the eyes.

"You know I have to little girl. You've been very, very naughty. But if you're good, I _might let_ you cum." He told you lowly, before nudging you off his lap. As you stood in front of him, he told you, "But, you're going to have to wait till after work, little girl."

You whined, " _Daddy_ , I want to cum now. Please? I'll be really good and quiet." Begging him with a jutted out lip.

"No little girl, you have to wait." He said before walking to the door and opening it.

You hung your head as you walked out and back down to your desk. Emily gave you a smirk as you sat down with a huff. Looking up at her with a glare, you started to finish the file you were working on.

"Nothing happened, Emily. Don't worry you don't have to go quit." You grumbled.

She let out a loud laugh, realizing that you were still turned on from the texts and whatever happened in his office.

Deciding to torture Hotch the same way he was torturing you, you reopened your texts with an idea. Scrolling through your pictures you settled on a nice one. You were sitting on the edge of your bed in a dark green negligee, with one breast hanging out of the top. Your hand was positioned in between your thighs, covering your pussy. Clicking on the picture, you sent it to Hotch and then put your phone face down on your desk and got to work.

You heard your phone buzz several times, but you ignored it. After you finished a few more files, you read the messages.

_Hotch: Nice try little girl, that won't work_

_Hotch: Although, that is quite the picture._

_Hotch: I think you'd look nicer with nothing on though._

You laughed slightly at the messages, setting your phone down on your desk again. As you walked over to the breakroom to get coffee, Morgan joined you on your walk.

"What was that, y/n? Who are you texting? Are you seeing someone?" He nudged you in the ribs with his elbow, his eyebrows wiggling slightly.

"It was my mom, for your information." You told him shortly as you poured yourself a cup of coffee.

"Yeah, and I'm the Pope. You were blushing hard back there. And I doubt that your mom would have liked that picture of you dressed like that." He laughed. Your mouth hung open after he spoke.

"Uhhh, you saw that?" You asked.

"Don't worry, y/n, I'm not going to tell anyone. I just thought that it was funny and that you should get better at hiding the screen of your phone next time. And I really am happy that you're seeing someone, y/n" He told you before walking away, throwing you a wink.

After almost everyone had left, you finished your final file. Gathering all of your work from the day, you glanced around the office seeing that only Emily, Rossi, and Hotch were still there. As you walked up to Hotch's office, Emily followed with her files as well. You both walked into his office, giving him the files to sign. She gave you a sly wink as she left, leaving you and Hotch alone.

"Shut the door, y/n, please." Hotch gestured at the door that Emily had just walked through. As you turned around, he spoke again. "Come here."

Your wobbly legs carried you over to stand in front of him. He pulled you back into his lap, looking into your eyes deeply. His hands set on your hips, as he leaned forwards to kiss you. It was light at first, his lips lightly grazing yours. You moved your hands to the back of his head, pulling him further into the kiss. The tight squeeze of his arms around your waist pushed your chest into his. You moaned into his mouth as one of his hands moved to grope your breast through your shirt.

" _Daddy._ " You breathed into his mouth.

You could feel a bulge pressing against your thigh. His hands found their way to your hips and forced you to roll your hips against his, both of you letting out a moan. You moved your hand down to palm him through his pants, but he quickly pulled you off him.

"I still have to punish you, little girl."

Your thighs clenched together at the thought of what he was going to do. Roughly, he grabbed your shoulders and bent you over his desk. You felt a hand snake around your waist, unbuttoning and unzipping your jeans. He grabbed the waistband of your pants and pulled them down to your ankles in one swift motion, along with your panties.

He bent down to speak right into your ear, his lips brushing against your neck, "I am going to spank you, little girl. One for each text Emily read and two extra for each time _I_ got slapped. And you will count out loud and thank me for each one."

A small moan left your mouth as he told you what he was going, your core clenching around nothing. You felt his hand brush against your ass, cupping it before raising his hand.

*snap*

A loud moan left your mouth as you tried to form words, "O-one, thank you, Daddy."

He moved his hand up again, letting it come down, harder.

*snap*

You moaned as you clenched around nothing again, the image of him spanking you made you forget to count. Hotch moved to grab your jaw and force you to look at him, " _Count_ , little girl."

While keeping eye contact, you said, "Two, thank you so much, Daddy." Your voice dripping with arousal.

This routine continued 6 more times, each time you moaned out a number and thanked him. As he punished you, you could feel his erection pressing against the side of your ass. Once he was done, he pulled you off his desk and turned you to face him. He helped you pull your jeans back onto your body. Your hair was messy and in your face, a few tears rolling from your eyes, and your pupils were blown out with hunger. He brushed your hair out of your face before kissing you again.

He pulled out of the kiss to speak, "I'm going to take you to my house and I am going to make you cum, little girl."

You met his announcement with apprehension, stepping back from him slightly.

"What's wrong, y/n?" Hotch came out of his dominant personality, dropping the nickname.

"Hotc- Aaron, last time you did that you kicked me out directly after." You said, taking a step back from him.

"Oh, y/n, I promise that I will never do that again. I wasn't sure what I wanted from whatever this is, and I was scared that if I showed affection I wouldn't be able to let you go." He admitted, dropping his gaze to your feet.

You stepped forward, taking his face in your hand. He flinched at the action, not used to someone touching him with so much affection. After a bit, he leaned into your touch. "Aaron, I don't mean I have to sleepover, but a kiss goodnight or giving me a glass of water would be nice." You told him.

"I _want_ you to stay, I want to kiss you and take care of you. I want you." He told you, moving his hand to hold your face too.

"You do?" You asked him, still apprehensive.

He could read your hesitation on your face, his open hand moved to your waist, pulling you into his body.

"I do, I really do." He said to you, wrapping his hands around your waist. Your body practically disappearing into his embrace. You both stood there for a moment, just feeling the closeness and the warmth. You pulled away, pushing your lips against his.

"Let's go." He pulled away.

You left his office to grab your things. Looking down into the bullpen, Emily was sitting on your desk with a huge smile.

"That was cute." She said as you walked over to her

"What? The part where he bent me over his desk, or the hug?" You asked with a laugh as you gathered your stuff.

"I mean, the first part was hot, but the hug was cute." She told you, swinging her legs off your desk and standing up.

"I think he really cares about me, Em. I've never seen him that vulnerable, around anyone." Your voice dropped to a whisper as Hotch stepped out of his office.

"Whatever was said, he looked very genuine." She said, you letting out a breath you didn't know you were holding, "I hope so." You said as you walked to join Hotch. "Bye, Emily," You said.

You and Hotch made your way to the elevator, his hand brushing against yours before grabbing your hand. You smiled at the gesture and squeezed his hand.

The ride to Hotch's house was filled with a comfortable silence, his hand sitting respectfully on your thigh. After he parked in his driveway, he jumped out of the car and went to go open your door for you. He offered his hand to you, and you took it and hopped out of the car. His hand found its way to your lower back, guiding you into his house. Once in his house, he grabbed your hips, turning you around. 

He pushed his lips against yours, pulling you against his body. You could feel his still hard boner pressed against your stomach. You moaned into his mouth as his hands pushed under your shirt, feeling every inch of your torso. 

"Daddy, you're teasing me." You whined into his mouth

He started walking backward, pulling you towards his room. Never once did his lips leave yours. Once in his bedroom, he felt the back of his legs hit the edge of his bed. He let himself fall backward, you landing on top of him. You moved your knees up to straddle his hips, he reached up to start unbuttoning your shirt, you moving to do the same. Once you were both topless, you moved to unbuckle his belt and pull his pants off his hips. You moved to stand up and pull your pants off and he did the same. 

"Oh little girl, I'm going to ruin you." He growled as he moved to attach his lips to your neck. 

You pushed your panties off and reached to pull his off as well. He reached around your body to unclasp your bra and you let it fall to the floor. He secured his arms around your waist and turned both of you around. Your back hit the bed as he climbed on top of you. 

"Oh, Daddy, please." You moaned into his ear.

He reached down in between your bodies and ran his tip-up your slit, he moved his hips to push into you. You moaned as he fully sheathed himself in you. He let out a quiet grunt as he held himself in you. You nodded to him and he started to thrust himself in and out of you at a moderate pace. 

You groaned at the feeling, but you got impatient quickly. You wanted him to follow through with his promise of him ruining you. Your hips rolled up to meet each of his thrusts, the change in angle pushing a moan out of your throat. He started to slow his pace, but his thrusts became harder. He slammed into you, hitting your g-spot forcefully with each snap of his hips. You watched as he bent down to your chest, taking a nipple in his mouth and sucking hard. His mouth trailing a line of small hickeys up to your neck, sucking a large purple mark directly under your ear, a drawn-out moan leaving your mouth.

He pulled out of you, a gasp falling from your lips as he flipped you over to your stomach. A simple tap on your hips told you to raise yourself to your knees. Wasting no time, he pushed himself into you. His hands set on your hips, gripping them tightly, leaving finger-shaped bruises on your sides. He set a ruthless pace, pulling your hips back into his thrusts. Your head dropped to the bed as you approached your climax. 

" _Daddy_ , I'm going to cum!" You shouted into the sheets.

"Not yet little girl." He moved to grip your hair in one of his hands, pulling your head back off the bed. 

Your back arched as you moaned loudly, not caring about the volume. His large hand reached around your waist and circled your clit with his middle finger. Another loud moan leaving your mouth as he added more pleasure. 

" _Please Daddy, I need_ to cum!" You told him. 

"Then I'm going to - _fuck_ \- I need you to beg a lot better than that, slut." He said, increasing the pace of his hips and his finger. 

"Please, please, please, Daddy! I want to cum around your huge cock! I want to show you how good you make me feel!" You moaned out as he continued to bottom out in you. 

"Go ahead little girl, you can cum on Daddy's cock." He told you, bending down to attach his lips to the back of your neck. 

With those words, you let yourself fall over the edge. It was unlike anything you had ever imagined. Your vision when white as waves of pleasure rolled through your body. Your legs shook and your hips dropped, Hotch grabbing them to keep them up. You screamed out Aaron's name, not remembering to call him "daddy". 

He continued his ruthless pace, sending you into a writhing mess as the stimulation was too much. You screamed profanities and his name as you felt him start to twitch inside of you. His deep voice, coated with lust, moaned out your name as he came deep inside of you. He slowed his pace before pulling out of you.

You fell to your side, feeling his cum dripping onto your thighs. He walked into the bathroom and returned with a wet rag. He cleaned you up, and himself before going to put the rag in the wash. He returned with a pair of boxers and a shirt that was four times too big, he helped you get into them. Then he left one last time, coming back with two glasses of water. He handed you one, and you drank it all, before setting it down on the nightstand and speaking. 

"Aaron, if you don't want me to stay. I can go. I understand that it might be too soon after Hailey, and-" but he cut you off.

"I want you to stay, I already told you. I want you. Come here, little girl." He said to you, opening the covers to the bed. 

You lay down in the bed next to him, curling into his chest. He was wearing a pair of pajama pants and no shirt. Your head sat on his bare chest as you drifted off to sleep. The last thing you remember was Aaron kissing the top of your head and saying something. You couldn't quite make it out, but you're not too sure you wanted to know. Not yet, anyway. 


	11. Chapter 11

You wake up to the blaring noise of Hotch's alarm at the brisk time of _5 am_. You let out a loud groan as you grumbled, "Turn it off" into Hotch's chest. You hadn't moved since you fell asleep last night. His low chuckle vibrated through his chest as he moved to turn the alarm off.

"Someone doesn't like mornings." He said, his morning voice low and raspy.

"I like the morning, I hate waking up at the ass-crack of dawn. Why do you get up this early? Do you hate yourself this much?" You grumbled again.

"I like to be early to work." He said shortly.

Feeling him start to move from under you, taking his warmth with him. Before he could get too far, you latched yourself around him, stopping him in his tracks. "Donnnn't" you whined, not wanting to lose his heat. He laughed lightly, wrapping his arms around your waist and tucking his face into your neck.

"I need to go shower, little girl." He spoke into your neck. "Then take me with you." You suggested, shifting yourself to lay completely on top of him. Leaning down, you lightly pressed your lips against his. His large hands slipped under your shirt, grazing up your side. He deepened the kiss, pressing his lips into your more firmly. You moaned lightly into his mouth as he groped your breasts. His tongue slipped into your mouth, fighting slightly with you for dominance. He won. You moved your hand in between your body's, palming him through his pajama pants, him letting out a quiet gasp. He groaned as he sat up in bed, "Little girl, we need to get up." He spoke into the kiss.

"But it sooooo cold outside of the bed." You whined, not taking your lips off his.

"Yes, but the shower will be much warmer." He told you, standing up with you wrapped around his body. He walked into the bathroom, setting you down and letting you strip, him doing the same. You bent down to let the water warm up, feeling his arms wrap around your waist again, his chin sitting in the crook of your neck.

Looking into the mirror, you could see the damage from last night, a line of red hickeys on your chest, and two dark purple hickeys. One over your throat and one directly under your ear. You felt him turn his head and place open-mouthed kisses on your neck, his hot breath on your throat sent a shiver down your spine. He started to suck yet another mark into your neck, but you didn't care. You could cover it up, you wanted his marks.

Once in the shower, you turned around to face him, placing your arms loosely around his neck. You both just stood there for a while, looking into each other's eyes. A warm feeling erupted in your stomach and your chest filled with butterflies.

 _No one has ever looked at me like that._ You thought to yourself.

He tilted his head down to connect his lips to yours, pressing firmly but not aggressively.

 _No one has ever kissed me like that. No one has ever kissed me with that much love._ You thought again.

A sudden wave of panic set over your body and you felt your breath pickup. You didn't know exactly why you were panicking, but you had an idea. Your knees buckled and you almost hit the floor, if it wasn't for Hotch standing directly in front of you.

"Woah, y/n. What's wrong? What just happened?" He asked you, his tone laced with concern.

"I just, uh, I don't kno- I'm sorry, I need to go." You finally spit out, after stumbling through a mess of words. Trying to step out of the shower, you were stopped.

"Wait, y/n, please wait." He grabbed your wrist lightly, holding you in place, "What's going on, did I do something wrong?"

You shook your head quickly, pulling your arm from him, "I'm sorry, I just need a second." Which was true, you just wanted some time alone to sort out your thoughts.

With that, you left him in the shower. Grabbing a towel, you wrapped yourself up and went to get re-dressed. Once in something decent, you went out to Hotch's car and grabbed your go-bag to get changed into clothes for work. You climbed the stairs to his bedroom and started to get dressed and ready for work. It was still obscenely early and your hair was damp but unwashed. You were wearing a warm sweater and a wrinkled pleated skirt, minimal makeup applied on your face, and hair sitting in a messy bun on top of your head. However, your neck and chest were heavily caked with foundation and concealer. You had a pair of black socks on, your converse waiting at the door for you.

You sat on the edge of Hotch's bed, waiting for him to exit the bathroom. You didn't know what you were going to say to him.

_How do you tell him that you almost had a panic attack because you think you might love him, y/n? Huh? How do you tell him that? What on earth will you sa-_

You were pulled from your thoughts at the sight of Hotch leaving his bathroom, a towel hanging dangerously low on his hips. Your eyes racked up and down his form, mouth slightly gapped at the sight. You never really had time to _look_ at his body, but damn, he's hot.

"Y/n?" Hotch looked at you with questioning eyes, pulling you from your thoughts once again, "Will you tell me what happened back there?"

You let out a sigh before speaking, "I think everything that has happened _just_ caught up with me, and I felt overwhelmed and started to panic. By everything, I mean the night after Atlanta and the hostage situation in Illinois. Whatever this is, or is going to be, between us, is a lot to process. A little over a week ago, I hated you, and now I'm in your house. I'm in your bed and in your shower. It's a lot to take in." You spewed all your thoughts, except the three words that scared you so much. While you were speaking, he had turned around to quickly put a pair of boxers on.

 _It's too soon, y/n. You did the right thing._ You heard yourself think.

"Okay, well what can I do to make things a little less overwhelming?" He asked you, turning to walk into his closet to get dressed. Your eyes followed him, watching him get dressed.

"I like you, Aaron, I really do. Which is weird for me to say. I just need a little time to adjust to let myself like you." Speaking as you went to join him in the closet. You went to tie his tie for him like it was something you had done for years. His eyes never left your face as you worked, he loved seeing you so focused. Once you were done with his tie, you picked out a suit jacket that matched his pants and handed them to him. After he was dressed, with your help, he spoke.

"I will give you all the time you need, y/n. First and foremost, I want you to be happy. Take your time." He said, tucking a loose piece of hair behind your ear. His large hand held your face as he bent down to kiss you lightly. You moved your arms to hang on his shoulders, your fingers lacing through his hair. His hands moved to grip your hips, pulling you against his body. You felt a large hand slip under your sweater, grazing your lower back as he went to unhook your bra.

Pulling back from the kiss, you told him, "We _cannot_ do this now, I'm assuming you had a reason for getting up at _5 am_."

"I actually do, I like to be early to work. And I'm ahead of schedule, so how about we grab coffee on the way to work? Unless you don't want to, I don't want to rush you. I can take you home, or we can go straight to the office. If you don't want to ride with m-" You quickly cut him off with another kiss.

"Coffee sounds wonderful, Aaron." You said as you pulled away from him, taking his hand and leading him from his bedroom. He liked hearing you say his name, it sounded right when you said it.

Once in the car, his hand was practically glued to your thigh. You watched his thumb trace small patterns on your skin, leaving a slight trail of goosebumps in its wake. He drove to a coffee shop, and not just any coffee shop, this was your _favorite_ coffee shop. You were a regular there, you had spent a lot of long nights and early mornings there. Hotch saw your eyes light up, a smile creeping on to his face.

"This is my favorite coffee shop!!" You practically squealed, jumping out of his car. Once he got out of the car too, you walked over to grab his hand and lead the way into the building. You waited patiently in the short line, seeing that they had just opened, and you felt a tall presence behind you. Aaron was standing directly behind you, your ass brushing against his crotch. Deciding to be a tease, you pressed your ass into him slightly, smiling as you heard his breath hitch.

His hand moved to roughly grip your hip, and he lowered his head to your ear, "You should stop acting like a tease, little girl." You could feel his voice vibrating in your head, the sound bouncing around like a drum.

You turned around to face him, pressing your chest against his lightly, "What are you going to do about it, Daddy?" You asked in a low whisper, pressing an opened mouth kiss on his jaw, letting out a warm breath.

Before he could answer, you saw a very familiar face over Hotch's shoulder and a gasp left your mouth and you pulled away from him.

David Rossi was standing directly behind the two of you, most likely having seen the whole thing, a smug smile plastered on his face.

You coughed and a dark flush spread up from your neck and across your face. Quickly turning around, you took a few steps forward, putting distance between you and Hotch. He glanced over his shoulder, making direct eye contact with Rossi. You heard Hotch say something to Rossi, "We'll talk about it later, Dave." was all you caught.

You stepped up to the counter, pulling your wallet out and preparing to order. Once you had told the barista what you wanted, you heard Hotch order a plain black coffee. Then you saw him hand the woman his card, paying for both drinks. He placed his hand on your lower back, guiding you to a table to wait for your coffee.

With your coffees in your hands, you both decided to sit in the car to drink, to lower the risk of getting caught by yet another coworker. In the car, instead of panicking, you let out a loud laugh that you were holding in since Rossi caught you. Your laughter, caused Aaron to let out a laugh as well, something you had never seen.

You sat in the passenger seat, your legs stretched over the console, your socked feet sitting in Aaron's lap, your shoes long abandoned in the floorboard. The conversation was light, talking about work or plans for the weekend. You guys had about half an hour till you needed to be at work. Hotch held his coffee in his left hand, his right hand running up and down your smooth shin, tracing a thoughtless map on your leg. When the conversation stopped, you both sat in the comfortable silence, your thoughts directed at his hand on your legs. After a while, you realized that he wasn't randomly moving his hand. He was drawing his signature on your leg absentmindedly, over and over. Like he was marking you with his name. Like you were his.

And you were okay with that.


	12. Chapter 12

The ride to the office was filled with music, Aaron claiming that the driver gets to pick music, so The Beatles was flowing out of the radio. You hummed along to the music, watching his fingers tap along to the beat on the wheel. Aaron pulled into the garage on the base, parking next to your car. You moved to get out, but his hand on your wrist stopped you. 

"We should probably talk before I talk to Dave." He told you, letting out a sigh. You could tell that he didn't want to rush you, but he was right. 

"What did you plan on telling him?" You asked, looking at your hands in your lap, his hand still lightly encasing your wrist. Moving your hand slightly, you entwined your fingers with his.

"I only planned on asking him to keep it two himself, until we know what this is." He said, squeezing your hand lightly. "But, I'll say whatever you're comfortable with."

"That's fine." You responded quietly, still looking at your hands. He moved his open hand to your face, tilting it up to look at him. "Hey, what's wrong, y/n?" He asked you, searching your face for any type of answer. You weren't sure, you didn't know why you were still hesitant. He's shown you that he cares about you, but that's only been in the last 12 hours. 

_What happens when we get in a fight? What if he gets bored with me? He says he wants me, but what if something changes? What if we tell the team and they don't support it? Or we tell them and then we break up? And then they have to take sides or I have to leave the team._

_It just feels like there's too many chances for it to go wrong._

"Y/n?" He spoke, pulling you from your thoughts. 

"I'm just worried that something will go wrong. If we decided to do this, and we break up, it'll mess everything up. I don't want to be the person that tears the team apart." You confessed, his eyes softening at your words. 

"I don't plan on ending things with you. I don't want to end this." He said, his hand squeezing your hand in yours again. 

You let out the breath you were holding, "I don't want to end things either." You said quietly.

He leaned in to meet you, his lips lightly grazing yours. You kissed him back, which he took as permission to kiss you fully. Your hand moved to the back of his head, lacing your fingers in his dark hair. His hand moved from yours, grabbing your waist firmly, which you responded to with a tug on his hair. He moaned lightly at the pull on his hair, a smile forming on your lips.

Before you could get too far, Aaron broke the kiss, breathing heavily. "If you don't want the team to know, little girl, then we can't do this." He said with a laugh.

You groaned at his words, pulling away from him. You both grabbed your things from the backseat and made your way to the elevators. His hand set lightly on the small of your back, a smile forming at his touch. Once in the elevator, you stretched out your pinky, grazing his hand. He wrapped his large pinky around yours, the smile on your face widening. You took a step towards him, your arms pressing against each other. The ring of the elevator door pushed you and Aaron apart, your pinkies being the last things to disconnect. He let you leave before him, his fingers grazing your back again. 

Walking into the bullpen, you saw Emily sitting at her desk, Spencer and Derek in the breakroom talking, and Rossi in his office. Somehow, you and Aaron were the last ones to arrive at work. Your face flushed slightly, feeling Emily's eyes watch you and Hotch walk in together. You checked the time, seeing that you both were 15 minutes late to work.

 _I guess we shouldn't have made out in the car._ You thought 

Approaching her, you took a breath "Don't say a word." You warned her, seeing the smug smirk on her face. 

"I won't." She said, holding her hands up.

You huffed as you set your things down next to your desk, sitting down in your chair. There was a pile of cases sitting on your desk, looming over you. Grabbing the first file, you got to work. You didn't mind paperwork days, but it had been a week since your last case and you were getting bored writing recommendations. After you got through a few files, you heard a door open. You looked up to see Hotch walking over to Rossi's door, knocking before entering. He walked in, said something short, and then walked back to his office, Rossi following him. Once Hotch got to his door, he spoke.

"Y/n, can I see you for a moment?" Aaron asked as Rossi walked into his office. 

You stood up with a sigh, trying to maintain your old habits towards Hotch. Trudging up the stairs slowly, you shouldered past him into his office. You didn't like being rude to him, but you had to keep up the façade. Once in his office, he shut the door quietly.

"You can have a seat, I just want to talk about this morning with both of you." You moved to sit on the couch under the window, while Rossi sat down in front of Aaron's desk. Aaron sat behind his desk before continuing to talk.

"Dave, trust that you haven't said anything to anyone?" He asked Rossi, slight concern in his tone.

"Not a soul," Rossi confirmed, a wave of relief washing over you. Hotch let out a small sigh as well, "Thank you, Dave. We're not sure where this is going, and we don't want to rush whatever this is, or could be." Aaron said, nodding at you slightly. 

You nodded in agreement with his words, knowing that he was speaking to both of you. He truly didn't want to rush you, like he had said multiple times. 

"I will keep my mouth shut until you are ready." Rossi told both of you, standing to leave, "I'll let you guys talk now, but if I hear anything _funny,_ I will not hesitate to barge in." He said as he opened the door and walked back to his office. 

Standing, you walked over to the door, pulling it shut. You turned to walk over to Aaron, closing the blinds first. 

" _Little girl,_ " Hotch said lowly, "I don't know what you're thinking about doing, but there is a bullpen of agents outside that door."

"Don't worry, I won't be the one making the noise." You said, kneeling in front of him.

Even though you weren't sure you wanted to be in a relationship, you knew you wanted to make him moan.

You reached up to his crotch, palming him through his pants, a sigh falling from Hotch's mouth. Picking up your pace, you moved your open hand to unbuckle his belt and unzip his pants. Carefully pulling him out of his boxers, you wrapped your hands around his slowly hardening length. Leaning forwards, you licked a stripe up his cock, tracing the large vein on the bottom of his shaft. Reaching the top, you swirled your tongue around the head of his penis, licking off the salty precum. His hand moved to the back of your head, grabbing your hair into a ponytail. He started to push you down slowly, inch by inch. A soft moan slipping out as he threw his head back. You fought your gag reflex as your nose approached his abdomen, feeling him hit the back of your throat. Once he was fully sheathed in your mouth, his tip was fully in your throat constricting your air. 

He watched as you tried to bring air in through your nose, but you could barely breathe. Your eyes glazed over, the lack of air causing your vision to go blurry. Once you finally couldn't take it, you tapped your hand lightly on his thigh, causing him to let go of his forceful grip on your head. You hollowed your cheeks as you brought your head off his cock, hearing another moan. Looking up to him, you nodded with just his tip in your mouth, giving him permission to move your head again. He pushed you more quickly down his length, the groan leaving his mouth caused you to moan around him. The vibration of your moan sent a shock through Aaron's body, pulling him closer to the edge. He let go of your head, letting you move at your own pace. You bobbed on his cock, spit dripping down your chin at the speed. You twisted your hands around the length you couldn't reach on your own. 

His breathing picked up and his teeth grabbed his lip, trying to keep in the moans he wanted to let out. You could feel him nearing his release, his cock twitching in your mouth. Bobbing your head faster, you felt him start to cum. You pushed your head as far down on his length to put him back in your throat, swallowing every last drop he had to offer. 

You pulled your head off him, wiping the small bits of cum off your lips with your finger. You moved to suck your finger, but Aaron moved towards you. He grabbed your hand and moved it two his mouth, licking his cum off your finger. You stood up, catching his lips in a kiss, he could taste even more of himself on your lips and tongue. 

After a short make-out session, you pulled away to walk out of his office. Glancing into the mirror, you tried your best to clean yourself up. Your hair was messy and tangled and your makeup slightly smudged. Once you looked halfway decent, you went to open the door but Hotch stopped you.

"You didn't cum, little girl." He grabbed your waist lightly as he talked.

"I don't want to, I'd rather wait." You said, giving him a quick peck on the lips before leaving his office. Once in the bullpen, you got a sly wink from Emily and a slight glare from Rossi. 

_Oh well, what did they expect?_ You thought with a laugh.


	13. Chapter 13

After the stunt you pulled in his office, you had to keep your distance from him for a bit. It had been over a week since you were in his office, the team getting pulled into a very long case that day. You guys had to fly out to LA, there was a man killing during the rolling blackouts. The long jet ride had just started, and it was eerily quiet. Morgan was sitting with a vacant expression in the furthest corner of the jet, the cut on his forehead taped up. You knew it was unlike him to sit awake on the jet like this, but he had a hard time with this case. On the other end of the jet, Spencer and JJ sat on the couch, JJ's feet in his lap. You sat in between Emily and the window at the table, across from Aaron. Rossi was sitting with his eyes closed next to the couch. 

You had your knees tucked up to your chest, facing Emily. You guys were in a deep discussion about what you planned on doing when you got home. After a while, you guys had made a plan to go shopping with all the girls, Emily texting JJ and Penelope the plans. The tensions had finally settled between Emily and JJ, and they were back to being friends. You felt your phone vibrate, and you reached to grab it from your pocket. Once your plans were finalized, Emily got up to go stretch out somewhere to sleep. 

Looking around, you saw that the team was either sleeping or looking in the opposite direction, so you quickly changed sides of the table, sitting next to Aaron. He was writing details down about the case in a file. You didn't want to disturb him, so you carefully set your head on his shoulder, watching him work. He moved his arm to wrap around your waist, pulling you closer to him. You inhaled deeply, his pine cologne filling your nose, the smell comforting you. 

"Hey, y/n?" Hotch asked, pulling you from your trance.

"Yeah?" You responded, trying to figure out what he was going to ask. 

"Would you like to go to dinner with me tomorrow night?" He asked you. A smile formed on your face at his question. "Absolutely, I do." You told him, laying your head back onto his shoulder, letting him get back to work. 

The sound of his breathing and the scratching of his pen unintentionally lulled you to sleep. When Hotch noticed you sleeping, he set his pen down and shifted in his seat, carefully letting you fall on to his chest. As carefully as he could, he slipped his blazer off and draped it over your body. His other arm wrapped around your waist under his jacket, his head sitting on top of yours, smelling the lavender shampoo in your hair. 

The feeling of the wheel hitting the tarmac, woke you and Aaron. You wanted to savor the feeling of being in his arms, but the team was also waking up. Against your wishes, you peeled yourself off Aaron, going to sit on the other side of the table again. Looking around to see if anyone caught you, you only saw Emily with a happy smile on her face. She tapped her phone lightly, signaling you to check your phone. 

Opening your phone, you saw Emily had sent you a few images. Clicking on them, you saw pictures of you and Aaron cuddling, a smile forming on your face. Apparently, she had started taking pictures when you first moved to his side of the table. Your favorite was the picture of when he asked you out to dinner, you were both smiling and looking at each other, it looked like it was meant for a Christmas card. You quickly save the images, not wanting Aaron to see them. 

Emily expected you to be mad or angry, but when she saw you smile, she knew that whatever you and Hotch had was special. 

Once the jet had stopped moving, the team made their way of the plane, bags in hand. The SUVs hadn't moved since you guys had left over a week ago. You, Hotch, Emily, and Rossi got into the first one. JJ, Morgan, and Spencer got into the second one. The drive back to the base was quiet, seeing that it was _9 pm_ and you guys had just spent over four hours on a plane. In the garage, everyone went to their separate cars, saying goodnights to one another. 

You unlocked your car, looking over expecting to see Hotch doing the same, but you saw that he wasn't there. Glancing towards the elevator, Aaron was waiting for the doors to open, most likely going up to do more work. Abandoning your car, you walked over to him, silently standing next to him. The doors opened, and you both stepped in. After the doors closed, Aaron dropped his bags, grabbing your face and kissing you harshly. He backed you up to the elevator wall, pressing you against it with his body. His hands moved from your hips up to your head, threading his fingers through your hair. The ding of the elevator pulled you guys apart, heavy breaths leaving your mouths as you took a moment to compose yourselves. You quickly reconnected at the hands. You both grabbed your discarded bags off the floor before walking into the bullpen. 

"I only need to grab a few things, and then we can go." He told you, leading the way up to his office.

"Go where?" You asked, "Anywhere you want to, little girl." He replied, grabbing various files and things from around his office. 

"I have an idea." You said shortly, not wanting to elaborate. He hummed in response, grabbing your hand again, "Lead the way." He told you.

You lead him back to the elevator, but instead of clicking the button to go down to the garage, you clicked the button that would take you to the top floor. While the elevator moved up the floors, you shifted closer to Aaron, letting your body press against his. It wasn't sexual, you just wanted to be touching him, you just wanted to be close to him.

The door pulled open and you dragged Hotch out of the box, leading him over to the stairs that lead to the roof.

"We're going to the roof?" He asked with apprehension. 

"Yes." You said, pulling him up the stairs. 

Once on the roof, you could see every star and the small sliver of moon that hung in the sky. It was late November, so the cold air sent goosebumps running over your skin and you shivered. Seeing that you were cold, Aaron slipped his blazer off again and hung it on your shoulders. He slid his hands around your waist, setting his head on your shoulders. Standing there in silence, you both looked up at the sky, taking in the magnificent view. Neither of you were sure how long you stood there, but when Aaron shivered lightly, you decided that it was time to go back inside. Your hands stayed interlocked while you made your way to your cars, deciding that it would make things easier if you drove separately. 

When you pulled up to his house, Aaron was waiting for you, pulling your door open for you. You both walked to his door, hand in hand. Before he opened the door he spoke, "I should have told you y/n, Jack is home tonight. Jessica is here watching him since I told her we would be back in time for her to have the night off. If this is too much too soon, I completely understand."

"Aaron, it's fine. If you are okay with me being here while Jack is, then I'm okay with it." You told him, squeezing his hand in yours. 

He nodded, opening the door, letting you walk in before him. When Jack heard the door open he came sprinting from the couch, leaping into his dad's arms with a giggle. While they reconnected, you went over and introduced yourself to Jessica. She seemed nice enough, but she didn't seem to like the idea of you being there. She said a quick goodbye to Aaron and gave Jack a hug before leaving the house. Jack turned around and went to greet you with a hug, you had met him several times before. Even though you used to not get along with Aaron, you loved Jack. 

"Y/n!!" He giggled, "Why are you here?" He asked, pulling out of the hug. 

Looking at Aaron for help, Aaron answered, "She's going to spend the night with us tonight, Jack." 

Jack's eyes light up at his words, but Aaron's next words made his face fall, "But right now, it is way past your bedtime, so let's go get you washed up for bed." 

With a sigh, Jack turned and left the room with his dad to get ready for bed. You walked into the kitchen, grabbing a glass of water, and then sitting down on the couch. You could still feel the slight chill from standing on the roof, and you could think of a few things that would warm you up.

Seeing Aaron reenter the room, you stood up to meet him, kissing him softly, "I'm still a little cold from the roof." You said, your tone low and aroused. 

"Oh really? What will we have to do about that?" He asked, setting his hands on your hips. 

"I was thinking a _bath_ might warm me up." You told him, wrapping your arms around his neck. He hummed in agreement, kissing you again.

Grabbing your hand, he led you into his bathroom, turning on the water and letting the tub fill up. Shifting to face you, he started to help you undress. He pulled his blazer off your shoulder before grabbing the hem of your thin sweater. Reaching around you, he unhooked your white lacy bra, letting it fall to the floor. He grabbed the waistband of your loose jeans, pulling them down to the floor and letting you step out of them. He pulled your socks off, discarding them in the pile of clothes. Lastly, he sank to his knees. Leaning forwards, he grabbed the waistband of your white panties with his teeth, pulling them down to the ground. Standing up, he admired your naked form. 

You reached up to grab his tie, slowly undoing the knot sitting around his neck. Dropping the silk fabric, you started to unbutton his dress shirt quickly, shoving the shirt off his shoulders. Your fingers rattled his belt buckle, pulling the leather off his hips. Pulling slightly, you let his pants drop to his ankles, and he stepped out of them. He stood only in his boxers, watching you kneel down to the ground. You put the waistband of his boxers in between your teeth and pulled them off him, in the same manner he did to yours. 

He grabbed you by the waist, pulling you off the floor and straight into a kiss. You wrapped your arms around his neck, feeling his hands move to your lower back, pressing you into his naked body. He was the first one to break the kiss, noticing that the bath was ready.

You let him get in first, sitting at the back of the tub. You climbed in after him, settling in between his legs. He pulled you back to lay on his chest, the warm water putting you at peace. For a while you both just sat there, listening to the other breathe. Aaron's hand started on your knee but slowly drifted to your inner thigh. 

You only noticed his hand when he grazed a finger over your pussy. A quiet gasp left your mouth and your core clenched around nothing. He moved his hand again, dragging his finger up your slit, stopping to press down on your clit. A moan left your mouth, but you quickly shut your mouth, not wanting to be too loud. He started to circle your clit with his hand, the unoccupied one moving to your nipple, rolling it in his fingers. You let out a low drawn-out moan. He moved his hand from your breast down to your core, pushing two fingers deep into you. He started to move his hand faster, the water sloshing slightly. 

"Oh, Aaron" You sighed, turning your head to capture his lips in yours. 

He continued to pump his fingers in you, adding a third after a while. He let his thumb circle your clit so he could move his other hand back up to your breasts, groping one roughly. You could feel yourself being pulled to the edge, a coil tightening in the pit of your stomach. He could feel you getting closer, so he sped up his movements. 

"Cum, y/n. Cum on my fingers." He growled into your ear.

The mixture of his fingers and his voice saying your name sent you over the edge. His name left your mouth as you moaned, your pussy clenching around his fingers. He continued to move his fingers until you came down from your high. Your breathing was ragged from your orgasm, your mind fuzzy from the pleasure. 

Aaron helped you out of the tub, wrapping you in a towel quickly. He left the bathroom and returned with clothes for the both of you. You slid on the clean boxers but decided that you wanted to sleep in his dress shirt from the day, grabbing the shirt from the floor and buttoning a few buttons. A smile formed on his face, he loved seeing you in his clothes. He led you to his bed, crawling under the covers with you. You nestled your head into his neck, smelling his cologne again. One of his arms was secured around your waist, the other around your shoulders. You felt so safe and warm, so protected. You felt him kiss the top of your head, muttering something, before drifting off to sleep in his embrace.


	14. Chapter 14

You woke up to an empty bed, the sun shining through the opened curtains. Somehow, you had managed to sprawl out in the middle of the bed. Sitting up, you felt Aaron's dress shirt fall off your shoulders. The few buttons that you had closed, came open sometime in the night. Climbing out of the bed, you walked over to Aaron's closet, grabbing a pair of his sweats from the shelf. You slid the pants on, tying them tightly around your hips and you re-buttoned his shirt and tucked the front into the pants.

Walking out of his bedroom, the smell of waffles filled your nose. Entering the kitchen, you saw Hotch's back facing you. He was still only wearing pajama pants, the pants hanging dangerously low on his hips. There was a pan on the stove, bacon cooking in grease. Walking over to him, you wrapped your arms around his waist, standing on your toes to set your chin on his shoulder.

"Good morning, Aaron," You said, turning your head to kiss his neck.

"Morning, y/n," He said, turning around to face you. He placed his lips gently on yours, kissing you lightly. Turning back around to flip the bacon, you lifted yourself on to the counter adjacent to the stove.

Once he was done tending to the bacon, he walked over to kiss you again. His left hand grabbing your face lightly, his right pushing your knees apart. He stood in between your legs, snaking his hand around to set on your lower back. You set your arms around his neck, pulling him closer to you. He pushed his hips closer to yours, your legs wrapping around his waist. The loud sizzling of the bacon on the stove pulled Aaron out of the kiss.

He pulled the bacon out of the pan and set it on a plate, moving the plates of bacon and waffles to the kitchen table. You sat down at the table, waiting for him to go wake up Jack for breakfast. Once he returned with Jack, Aaron served all three of you. The conversation was comfortable, talking about plans for the day. You couldn't stay there long, you had to get ready to go shopping with the girls.

After breakfast, you helped Aaron clean up the kitchen. Jack was in his room getting ready for the day and playing. He cleaned off the table, wiping up the syrup that Jack had split. You washed dishes at the sink, starting with the plates. Once Hotch was done with the table, he came to stand behind you. His hands started on your hips, his lips pressing against your neck. Grabbing another plate, you almost dropped it on the ground, feeling his hand slip under your waistband and into the boxers you were wearing. He pressed his pointer finger on your clit, a gasp falling from your lips, setting the plate down on the counter.

"Keep going, little girl." He growled, connecting his lips to your neck, sucking a mark into your flesh.

You shakily picked the plate back up, holding the plate under the stream of water. He started to quickly circle your clit, a moan leaving your lips. Forgetting to wash the plate, you threw your head back onto his shoulder. He moved his open hand to your entrance, pushing his large fingers into you.

"Did I say to stop, _pet?_ " He asked, another moan left your mouth at the new nickname.

"N-no, sir." You responded, grabbing a sponge to scrub the plate.

Satisfied with your compliance, he continued to move his hands. You finished with the plate you were working on, grabbing the final plate and moving it under the water. The loud stomps from the hallway pulled Aaron from you, stepping back a few paces. Jack came bounding into the living room, not giving the two of you a second glance. Once done with the plate, you turned around to see Hotch's fingers in his mouth, sucking your arousal off his digits.

"Unfortunately for me, I cannot stay to finish what you started." You told him, crossing the kitchen to stand in front of him. You gave him a quick kiss before making your way to the front door, opening it while saying goodbye to Jack. Before you could get down the stairs, you heard the door open again. Hotch stepped out, walking down to meet you. He grabbed you by the waist, pressing a firm kiss against your lips. You gladly kissed him back.

"Goodbye, y/n. Don't forget, I will pick you up at 7 pm _,_ at your place for dinner. Jack has a sleepover tonight, so we have the house to ourselves." He told you

"How do you know where I live?" You asked with a laugh.

"I have my ways." He said, turning and walking back into his house.

-

Once you got home, you quickly jumped into the shower. You heard a knock at your door while you were finishing your hair and makeup, quickly making your way to the door, you let all three girls into your apartment. They followed you into your room, making themselves comfortable on your bed. You continued to get ready, listening to them talk about where they wanted to go.

"I need to go somewhere to get a dress, I have a _date_ tonight." You told them, which they gasped at in response.

" _YOU HAVE A DATE?"_ Penelope screamed, jumping off the bed and running over to hug you.

You gave Emily a glare, silently telling her to keep her mouth shut, "With who? Do we know him?" She asked, giving you a smug smile.

"Nope, I met him on Tinder" You shot back at her, shoving your feet into a pair of shoes and grabbing your purse, "And I want to make sure I have enough time to get ready, so let's get this show on the road."

You lead the girls out to the car, getting into the backseat with Emily. She immediately pulled her phone out, texting you.

_Emily: Sooooo, how was your evening? The hickey on your neck is telling quite the story._

Your hand moved to your neck, covering the bruise. Reaching into your purse, you quickly covered the mark with makeup that you had in your bag.

_Y/n: It was good. Better than you, I might add._

She faked an offended face, putting her phone, joining the conversation in the front of the car. JJ parked her car in front of the mall, pulling the keys out of the ignition. You exited the car, walking with the group into the shopping mall.

The first store you entered was a locally owned boutique, going to the back to look through the dresses. A long baby blue dress caught your eye, the back was completely open. There was a long slit and the neckline dropped low. You grabbed the dress, walking back into the dressing room. With the dress on, you walked out to get opinions from the girls. Your back was completely exposed, the slit running all the way up to your hip, the neckline dropping to the top of your abdomen, your breasts very exposed.

JJ and Emily's jaws dropped, Penelope letting out a squeal of approval. You blushed slightly at their reactions, giving them a small twirl before going back into the changing room. After getting redressed, you walked out and went over to pay for the dress.

The group followed you to the next shop, the Victoria Secret in the corner of the mall. You browsed, looking for a nice pair of panties to match your dress. A lacy, navy blue thong caught your eye. You looked over to see Emily with a smug look on her face, she leaned to whisper into your ear.

"You'd definitely look good in those, or nothing at all. But you'd look awesome under me, moaning my name till you cum." She said, biting your earlobe playfully before walking away. Leaving you slightly flustered.

You took the panties to the cashier, paying too much for something that would be on the floor by the end of the night. The group of girls walked around the mall for a few more hours, talking and laughing. Checking the time, you saw that it was nearing 5 pm _._ You told the girls that you needed to get home and get ready, and they groaned playfully in response. JJ dropped you off first, you practically ran inside to start getting ready.

You started with your makeup, wiping off the makeup you had been wearing for a few hours. Walking into the bathroom, you washed your face and put on a face mask. While you let the mask dry, you made yourself a cup of tea and scrolled through your phone. After you were done with the mask, you peeled it off and rinsed your face. You applied moisturizer before starting on your makeup, you went with a light smoky-eye and a dark nude lip. You also made sure to wear waterproof mascara, having a feeling that you wouldn't want a very streaky mascara

You spent an hour on your make-up before doing your hair. Pulling half of it up into a neat bun and curling the pieces left down. You sprayed hairspray on your hair and combed through the curls. Grabbing the dress and panties from your bags, you put both garments on, looking at yourself in the mirror. You felt confident, which didn't always happen. Slipping on a pair of nude heels, you touched up your makeup and hair while you waited for Aaron.

Right at seven, you heard a knock on your door. Grabbing your black leather clutch, filled with your phone, wallet, and keys. You opened the door to reveal Aaron. He was leaning against the doorway, holding a single rose in his hand. He was wearing all black, except for the baby blue tie hanging from his neck.

 _We match._ You thought to yourself, smiling slightly at the thought.

"Hi, Aaron." You finally said, leaning in to kiss him lightly.

"Hi, y/n" He responded, a smile forming on his face. He let his eyes work down your body, his eyes settling on your breasts peeking out of your dress.

You stepped out of your apartment, letting him reach around you and pull the door closed. His hand naturally found your waist. Guiding you to the car, you could already feel the tension growing, not sure if you could last through dinner before jumping his bones.

Once in the car, you spoke again, "Where are we going?" You asked him, watching his hand move to your exposed thigh as you spoke.

"Don't worry little girl, it's a surprise." He told you, squeezing your thigh tightly.

During the rest of the car ride, his hand moved to your inner thigh. His hand sitting a mere inch from your barely clothed core. You wanted him to touch you, but you like the anticipation. His finger lightly grazed your panties, his breath hitching when he felt the wetness on your clothes. He pulled his hand away, parking the car at a fancy Italian restaurant. You sighed at the loss of his hand and went to open your door, but before you do, the door was pulled from your hand. Aaron had run around the car to open your door for you, offering his hand for you to grab as you stepped out of his tall car.

He guided you into the building, his hand starting on your hip but slowly sliding to sit right above your ass. He gave his name and you followed him and the hostess to a secluded table in the back of the restaurant. She asked for your drink order, Aaron selecting an expensive wine for the both of you.

After the hostess left you and Hotch with your wine, the nerves finally set in. You had been excited until now.

_What if I say something wrong and he stops liking me? Oh god, I'm going to fuck this up before he has a chance to get to know me._

"Why are you nervous, y/n?" Aaron asked, reading your body language like a book.

"I- I'm just worried that I'm going to mess this up." You admit, not being able to meet his eyes.

"How would you mess this up? You couldn't say anything that would change how I feel about you." He said, reaching across the table to grab your hand. "How about we start with the basics, what's your favorite color?"

"Purple, what's yours?" You ask him, "Baby blue." He tells you, raking his eyes down your figure. "Now you get to ask a question."

"Okay, um, what's your favorite movie?" You ask.

And that's how the first half of the date went, asking each other about favorite movies, dream cars, favorite season. After the food arrived the conversation died down slightly while you ate, the occasional question about how the other's food is.

When you were done with your meal, the plates were cleared and you were given another bottle of wine. You both sipped on the wine, the conversation-starting to pick back up. The anticipation from the car came crashing back when his foot grazed yours under the table. It was an accident and he pulled his foot away quickly, but you got an idea from it. Slipping your foot out of your heel, you moved your leg towards his. You connected with his shin, sliding up to his knee. He glared at you, warning you not to do this. Pushing further, you snaked your foot in between his legs, getting closer to his crotch. Before you could reach it, however, you felt his strong hand grab your ankle, pushing it back to the floor.

You let out a stifled laugh at his action, earning another glare from him. After fighting him on splitting the bill, he paid for both meals and both bottles of wine. He guided you back to his car, his hand grazing the small of your back.

The drive filled back up with tension from earlier, and you wanted any type of release. Moving his hand under yours, you guided it further up your thigh. You stopped moving your hand, feeling his hand continue to move. He slipped a finger under your panties, he quickly pushed a finger into you, a small moan falling from your mouth. He held his finger still, not giving you the pleasure you wanted.

"Aaron, please." You begging, whining when he removed his finger completely. He moved his hand to his mouth, licking your wetness off his finger. You reached across the car, grabbing the hand that was just in between your legs. Slowly you moved his hand to your mouth, placing two of his fingers in your mouth. You swirled your tongue around his fingertips, sucking lightly. You saw his grip on the steering wheel tighten, his knuckles going white. He pressed the gas harder, trying to get back to his house faster. Holding his hand still, you started to bob your mouth on his fingers, earning a moan from the driver seat. He braked hard, turning into his driveway. Turning off the car, he turned to look at you. He pulled his fingers out of your mouth with a slight _pop_ , before speaking.

"I'm going to give you five minutes. I want you to be completely naked, sitting on my bed when I get up there." He told you shortly, handing you his keys and looking down at his watch to start your time.

You grabbed the keys and scrambled to his door, shoving the key into the lock. Closing the door behind you, you grabbed the clasp that sat on the back of your neck and popped it open. While walking to his bedroom, you pulled the dress off your body and set it on a chair in his bedroom. You quickly slipped your heels off, your panties following quickly after. Sitting down on the bed, you took a deep breath as you looked around. You heard his front door open, a shock of excitement rushing through your body. Deciding to be a tease, you pushed yourself back on the bed, laying in a pose for him.

When he entered his room, he was holding his tie in his hands. His eyes immediately went to your naked body, a blush spreading across your face as you felt him look at you. He walked over to the bed and sat on the edge, taking a quick breath to speak.

"Do you have a safe word, y/n?" He asked you, the ball of excitement growing in your stomach.

"No, but I can make one up?" You suggested, he nodded, "How about red? It's pretty standard, I know."

"It's perfect, little girl. Anytime you say that we'll stop whatever we're doing. Then, we'll talk about why it was said and make sure it doesn't happen again. Also, if you cannot speak, three taps. Understand?" He asked, you nodded in response.

He stood up, "I also expect verbal responses, pet." He said, grabbing your jaw.

"I understand." You told him, looking up at him.

"Are you okay with me covering your eyes?" He asked you, lifting his tie slightly.

"Yes." You told him, watching him move the fabric over your eyes. He pushed your shoulders down to the bed lightly, then his touch disappeared. You could hear him moving around the room. You felt his hand on your wrist, tying you to his bed frame. He moved to your other wrist, tying it as well.

"Is this okay?" He asked.

You responded with a 'yes' almost concealed with a moan. His hands dragged one of your ankles to the corner of his bed, tying a rope around it, connecting it to his bed. He did the same with your other, asking again if that was fine. Another 'yes' fell from your mouth. You heard him walk away from the bed again, leaving you completely exposed and spread out on his bed. He was pulling things out of a drawer, setting them on the end of the bed.

"You will _not_ cum unless I tell you to, little girl. You may ask for permission, but I cannot guarantee that I will let you." He told you, a small moan leaving your mouth at his instructions.

A loud buzzing noise came from the end of the bed, but before you could comprehend, the vibrator was pressed against your clit. A loud moan left your mouth as Aaron circled your clit with the bullet vibrator. Another vibrator clicked on and was pressed into your core, sitting right against your g-spot. Your arms and legs tugged on their restraints and a drawn-out moan left your mouth.

You felt Aaron crawl up your body, keeping both vibrators in place, and connect his mouth to yours. You could feel his naked body against yours, at some point when you were blindfolded he had stripped. He swallowed your moans as he started to move the vibrator in and out of you. Trailing a line of wet kisses down your neck, he attached his mouth to your nipple, swirling his tongue around the pert bud. A familiar coil started to tighten in your stomach from all the pleasure.

"Can I cum, Daddy? Please? I need to so bad." You begged him, rolling your hips.

At your words, Aaron detached his mouth from your nipple and moved both vibrators away from your pussy, your hips bucking wildly as you whined.

" _Daddy!_ I was going to cum!" You said, through staggered breaths.

"And _I_ told you that you won't until I tell you to. If you really want to cum, then I suggest you be a _good girl_ and watch your tone with me." He growled at you, walking away from the bed again.

His voice sounded further away when he spoke again, "And if you weren't such a _brat_ tonight, I would have let you cum. But now I am going to edge you for each time you tried to get a release. One for the drive to the restaurant, one for the footsie you played at the restaurant, and one for the drive home from the restaurant. And that first one doesn't count."

You whined slightly when he told you he was going to edge you _three_ times. In response to your noise, Aaron's hand wrapped around your throat putting pressure on it, "You better watch your tone, _pet_ or you won't cum at all tonight." You could feel that he was close to your face, and you were almost glad that you had a blindfold on, or he would have seen you roll your eyes.

The bed dipped as he climbed to sit in between your spread legs, his hand lifting your knees slightly. You moaned quietly as he ran his tip up your slit, he spoke again as he continued to tease you, "I didn't gag you for a reason little girl, I want to hear how good daddy makes you feel. But if you act like a brat, I will gag you with no hesitation."

Another moan ripped through your chest at his words. He started to push into you slowly, you could feel every inch of him. It felt like he was splitting you open, his hands finding their way to your hips. Once he bottomed out, you both let out a moan, an addition leaving his mouth when you clenched around him. He started to move his hips, quickly building his pace to bruising.

A mixture of whimpers, moans, and 'daddy's' left your mouth as he fucked into you. He grunted with each thrust, feeling your walls constrict around him. He moved one of his hands from their bruising grip on your hip and placed it on your clit, drawing a tight circle around the bundle of nerves. You could feel your release building, and you almost tipped over the edge, but Aaron stopped. He had his entire cock shoved into you, but he wasn't moving. The loss of movement caused your pending orgasm to die again.

 _Two more_.

You felt his hands untying your ankles, freeing them from the restriction. He moved both your legs over his shoulder, the change in angle pushing a moan out of both of you. Once he was sure that you had come down from your potential high, he started to move his hips again, picking right back up to the relentless pace. You screamed out at his bruising speed, feeling every inch move in and out of you like a train. He bent down and connected his mouth to your neck, sucking a dark purple mark under your jaw. Tears started to fill your eyes at the amount of pleasure. You could feel your orgasm building again, quicker this time. Again, right before you could reach your high, Aaron pulled out of you completely, disconnecting his lips from your neck.

_One more._

You whined when he left you alone, but you felt the end of the bed dip. His lips connected to your clit, three fingers pushing into you quickly. A loud moan ripped through your throat. He curled his fingers as he pumped them. He circled your clit with the tip of his tongue at a rapid pace, your orgasm growing almost instantaneously. You moved your hips with his movements, your legs locked around his shoulders. Your hands tugged on the ropes, wanting to touch him, tears starting to fall from under the blindfold. You felt him start sucking on your clit, hard. Another moan fell from your lips, feeling him pull you to the edge. Right as you were about to cum, he pulled his hand and mouth away from you, a whimper leaving your mouth.

He crawled up to hold your face, "You did good, little girl." He told you, wiping the tears that had dripped down your face. "You did so good, my little girl."

He angled his hips down, pushing into you again. Moans left both of your mouths, heads thrown back in pleasure. Your hips moved to meet his thrusts, his cock ramming into your g-spot over and over again. You felt his cock twitch, he was nearing his end. You wrapped your legs around his waist, clenching around him as he pushed in and out of you. With one last thrust, you both fell over the edge. His head dropping to moan in your ear, you throwing your head back to scream his name. He let himself fall on top of you, sweat slick on his chest.

After he pulled himself out of you, he went into the bathroom to get a rag. He gently cleaned you up and untied your wrists. Going back into the bathroom, he grabbed lotion, and he set in on the nightstand. He applied the lotion to your wrists and ankles, soothing the angry red marks on them. He walked into his closet and grabbed you both some clothes. He slid a fresh pair of boxers on your limp legs, and grabbed his dress shirt off the floor, and pulled it on your arms.

You moved your hands to fasten a few buttons while he went to get both of you some water. After you both drank some water, you laid against each other. You had started to doze off, so he shifted so that you would be laying on his chest. Your leg bent up to nestle between his, the drumming sound of his heart lulling you to sleep.

When he thought you were asleep, he kissed the top of your head and whispered quietly, "I love you, little girl." 


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger Warning: Depiction of physical abuse

Aaron was the first to stir Sunday morning, causing you to wake up too. His arms were still locked around your body, holding you against him. It was like he was afraid to let go. You didn't feel refreshed from the night, your mind racing for hours after what he said.

_"I love you, little girl." He mumbled, letting sleep overcome him soon after._

_You sat very still, not wanting him to know that you heard him. The evening's activities left you exhausted, sleep pulling at you. He said it like it was something he had been doing for years like it was a normal thing to do. It didn't seem to come through, your mind screaming at you to get out, to leave. Before you have to commit._

_At some point, your mind finally shut off, letting you slip into a dreamless sleep._

"Good morning, sweetheart," Aaron said, his morning voice scratchy and low.

With his words, you not so subtly sprung out of bed. You grabbed your belongings, balling up your expensive dress like it was paper. Once you quickly checked you had everything, you made a beeline to your car. Aaron was following close behind you, trying to figure out why you were leaving in such a rush. The cold December air sending a shiver down your body as you let out a stream of curses in the driveway.

_Damnit, he drove me here._

Hanging your head low, you turned around to face Aaron, "Will you take me home, Aaron?" You mumbled, not meeting his eyes.

"I can, but will you tell me what just happened first? Did I do something? Did I say something?" He asked you, taking a small step forwards. His hand approached your face, trying to comfort you, but you turned away from his touch.

"Yeah, I, uh..." Your voice wavered as you tried to even your breathing. The panic of admitting that you heard him, washed over you like a tidal wave. You took another shaky breath to speak, but Aaron cut you off when he saw the tears in your eyes.

_Geeze, y/n, why do you have to cry at everything?_

"Hey, it's okay, y/n. We can talk about this later." He told you, reaching to wipe the tears from your face. You welcomed his touch this time.

You walked around to climb into his car, throwing your dress and wallet into the floorboard. He kept his hands to himself the entire drive, not speaking a word. Glancing at the clock in his car, you saw that it was almost seven in the morning. Your eyes watched the houses and trees blur past, contemplating just telling him that you heard his statement last night.

_If you tell him, then he'll expect a response. Then, you'll say it before you're ready, and then you'll throw away this possibly great relationship because you committed too much too soon._

_But I love him, don't I?_

_Yes, you do, but you remember the last time you told someone that right? I don't think you want that again._

When Aaron pulled up to your complex, you quickly got out, mumbling a thank you. Once in your apartment, you hung your dress up and put your shoes away. Checking your phone, you plugged it in, seeing that it was almost dead. You looked around your room, feeling like you were forgetting something...

_Panties, y/n, panties. You left your stupid thong on his bedroom floor like an idiot. At least you couldn't have worn a bra, otherwise, you probably would have left that too._

With that realization in mind, you peeled off the clothes Aaron had let you borrow. His baggy boxers and button-down being thrown into your hamper. You padded into the bathroom, looking at the damage from last night. You had a few dark hickeys littered on your neck. There were pink rub marks on your wrists and ankles and little brown bruises on your hips from his deadly grip on the last night.

You climbed into the shower, quickly washing your hair and body. The entire time your thoughts were on Aaron.

His breath on your neck. Your legs wrapped around his waist. His tongue in your mouth. Your legs still ached from the force he used, your knees weakly holding you up against the shower wall. The stiffness in your neck from throwing your head back in pleasure was very present as you tilted your head back to rinse the shampoo out.

After your shower, you threw on an oversized shirt and a long pair of sweats. You grabbed your phone off its charger and clicked on Emily's contact. It was 8:32 amby now and you didn't feel as bad about bothering her. You listened to the phone ring, sitting down on the edge of your bed.

 _"Y/n? Is everything okay?"_ Emily asked, skipping over formal greetings.

"Yes, well, no. I just need to talk, Aaron said something last night..." You trailed off not wanting to believe that it was actually real.

" _What did he say?"_ You could hear her keys jingling in the background and the starting of her car.

"He, uh. He said something when he thought I was asleep..." Trailing off again, not wanting to repeat what he said.

" _Do I need to pay him a visit? Bash his teeth in?"_ She asked, her tone completely serious.

"No no no, he said 'I love you' right before he fell asleep." You finally told her, hearing a small gasp on the other line.

 _"He did? Wow, uh, are you okay? It's a little soon, and I know your history."_ She asked, trying to figure out why you were panicking, "Yes, it is soon. It's only been two weeks, and we've only slept together a few times. I've been really happy with him and with how things have been going, but I'm not ready for that level of commitment." You tried to keep your thoughts away from her knowledge of your 'history'.

 _"I know you aren't, y/n. I know that you're past makes it difficult for you to trust people."_ She said with a sad tone.

"Yeah..." You heard her car pull up to your house, "the door is open, you can just come in. I'm in my bedroom right now." You told her, hanging up the phone.

The front door clicked open, and you heard Emily's soft footsteps nearing your room. She placed a gentle knock on your bedroom door before opening your door. You had silent tears streaming down your face, your knees pulled up to your chest. Quickly moving to your side, she placed an arm around you, letting your tears soak her shirt.

_I really thought I was done crying over this son of a bitch._

"Do you want to talk about him?" Emily asked, her hand tracing comforting circles.

You lifted your head to look at her, the tears still streaming down your face, "I just thought I was over him, I told myself I would never shed another tear over that bastard."

"I know, honey, I know." She said in a soothing voice.

You let a small sob rack through your body, your mind thinking back to the years between college and working for the FBI

_Your back was pressed against a cold walk, goosebumps spread across your skin. In front of you, your boyfriend was screaming at you, his face only inches away from yours._

_"DAMNIT Y/N, JUST TELL ME WHERE YOU WERE!" Carter's spit landing on your face._

_"I did, Carter, I was with Megan and Aly at their apartment." You told him calmly. And it was true, but you left out a small detail, your other friend, Blake was there. And Carter didn't like your friendship with Blake._

_You, Megan, Blake, and Aly had been inseparable since your freshman year of High School. You all shared everything, and they knew a small amount of what really happened when you were alone with Carter._

_"Really, sweetheart?" The use of the word leaving a bitter taste in your mouth, "So your 'friend' Blake wasn't there, trying to feel you up? Trying to cop a feel?" He said, getting even closer to you._

_"No, and he would never. We've been friends for over nine years." You spat back at him, standing your ground._

_"Well, I'm sorry, y/n, but I don't believe you." He turned away from you, grabbing his keys and coat._

_"Well, if you're going to leave, then I'll have to call over Blake. Let him get in a few rounds while you're gone!" The words fell out of your mouth before you could stop them, your feet carrying you towards him._

_In one swift motion, although it felt like it happened in slow motion, Carter turned and placed a hard punch on your cheekbone. You felt the skin bruise, and a small cut pulls open on your cheek._

_"I'm sorry." You mumbled, letting your eyes drop to the ground._

_"Bitch" Was all he said before he advanced on you again._

_You knew that you should have just let him leave, but you just_ **_had_ ** _to say that. The last thing you saw before you fell to the ground was his fist heading straight towards your face. You hit your head on the ground, a groan leaving your mouth. He grabbed your left arm and twisted it, you heard the bones breaking from the force. The last thing you saw before blacking out was his foot raised above your chest._

_When you woke up, you were surrounded by your three friends. Aly was sitting next to your bed, your hand in hers, Blake was leaning on her shoulders, and Megan was on the other side of your bed. It was evident that they were all upset, but Megan's face was especially splotchy with tears. Blake was the first to notice your eyes open, as gasp leaving his mouth._

_"Y/n." His words caused the two girls to look at you, tears refilling Megan's eyes._

_"How are you feeling?" Aly asked, pushing the strands out of your face_

_"Like hell." You scratched out, your throat still dry, "Megan, I'm fine. It was just a fall." You told the crying girl next to you, squeezing her hand._

_You winced at the action, the pain reminding you of his hand around your wrist. Megan's jaw dropped at your words, the room falling to a stale silence._

_"A fall? A FALL?! Y/n, Carter broke your nose, arm, and a few ribs. You were in surgery for seven hours and you didn't wake up for three days. That son of a bitch left you in a puddle of your own blood." Megan finally spoke, her words permeating the silence._

_"He didn't mean to." You whispered, tears springing to your eyes._

_"Y/n, you've got to leave him. He's been doing this for too long. This isn't the first time he's hurt you, is it?" Blake asked you, wiping the tears off your face._

_"No it's not, but I don't have anywhere to go. Carter and I live together and I don't have enough savings to move anywhere besides my car." You told them, not being able to meet anyone's eyes._

_Aly scoffed, her hand grabbing yours more forcefully to get your attention, "You think we're going to let you stay in that house with him? You're coming to stay Megan and me, while you recover and find a new place to go." She told you, not giving you an option._

_After a few more days in the hospital, Aly and Megan took you to their apartment, getting you settled. You recovered physically, but the emotional abuse took months of therapy to initially recover from. It took three weeks for you to go a whole day without crying, and there were some nights that you went to sleep crying and woke hours later, tears still streaming down your face. You never saw Carter again after that night, your friends moving all your belongings out for you._

_The emotional baggage never seemed to leave you though._

When you finally stopped thinking about Carter, Emily was still rubbing circles on your back. You wiped the tears off your face, sniffling.

"He was the first and only person I've said those words to. I didn't mean them, well, I thought I meant them. But _I_ said them. _We_ said them." You said, the tears you just wiped away being replaced by new ones.

"I know, but Aaron isn't Carter. He would never lay a finger on the way Carter did." She tells you, moving her face into your line of sight, "And trust me if he does anything to hurt you, he'll be dead within the hour. You have my word."

She got a small smile from you, which was all she wanted. After a few more minutes of crying, you started to doze off on Emily's shoulder. The intense crying session on top of the stressful morning and the little sleep you got last light, made you very tired. Emily shifted so that you could lay in your bed, instead of slumped over. As she tried to slip away from you without disturbing you, she felt your arms tighten around her.

"Please don't leave me." You said in a meek voice, pleading her to stay with you.

"I won't, y/n." She said as she moved to hold you in her arms.

You both fell asleep in each other's embrace. Hours later, you woke up to Emily running her fingers lightly through your hair. When you shifted, you felt her hand still.

"Hey." She greeted you, sitting up.

"Hey."

"You hungry? It's almost seven in the evening. I can order some dinner, Chinese sound good?" She asked you.

You nodded, watching her grab her phone and walking into the front room to place the order. Rolling out of bed, you walked over to your closet. You quickly changed clothes, yours still soaked with tears, grabbing a set of clothes for Emily as well.

She walked back into the room, accepting the clothes from you. You left Emily to get dressed, putting on a pot of coffee in the kitchen. You heard her walk into the kitchen, jumping onto the counter behind you. You turned around to face her, finally being able to meet her eyes. Right as she went to say something, a knock on the door caught your attention. Grabbing your wallet, you walked to the door and paid for the food.

Instead of sitting at the table, or even on the couch, you both sat on the counter with the cartons of food sitting in between the two of you. She talked about work and her cat, and you told her a little about your date. After you finished eating, you both moved to the couch watching _The Polar Express_. You both fell asleep on the couch, heads leaning against each other, the movie still playing.


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger Warning: Emetophobia

You woke up to your phone ringing loudly on the couch next to you. Without reading the name, you answered the phone.

"Hello?" You said groggily into the receiver of the phone.

"Y/n, where are you? Both you and Emily are over twenty minutes late for work." Aaron told you, his anger laced with worry.

"Shit sorry, we fell asleep on the couch last night. We'll be there in ten." You told him, kicking Emily to wake her up.

Aaron hung up without another word. You quickly ran to your room, grabbing two outfits, throwing one to Emily. She quickly went into the bathroom, throwing on the clothes. You did the same in your room, shoving your feet into a pair of shoes.

Once you both were ready, you jumped into your separate cars and sped off to the office. You parked in the garage next to each other, running to the elevator. When the car made it up to the sixth floor, you both rushed into the bullpen. The rest of the team was sitting around the table in the briefing room, both of you quickly joining them.

"Sorry." You and Emily muttered in unison.

"We have an unsub here in DC. He's abducting, torturing, and killing men. He disposed of the bodies on the steps of different buildings, but they all have one thing in common; they are government-funded and run buildings." JJ told the team, bringing up pictures of five men, and their crime scene photos.

"Well, he definitely has a type." Emily said, pointing out the obvious, "Men in approximately their forties, with dark hair."

"Do we have a COD or an ME report?" Reid asked JJ, flipping through the file.

"The final reports on all five men are on their way, but the cause of death was exsanguination. Most likely from slicing the carotid. They all had trace amounts of ketamine in their system, as well." Hotch told him, speaking over JJ.

"Yeah, and we just got word from the Metro Police that another man has been reported missing. We're on a clock now, with each of the last men our unsub held the men for 48 hours before killing and disposing of them." JJ said, cueing up another picture of a man.

"Carter Johnson was reported missing a few hours ago by his wife." The name and picture sent a shock wave through your body. Emily's head immediately snapped to look at you, fear in her eyes.

Not listening to the team or Emily, you pulled yourself out of your chair, sprinting to the bathroom. You didn't have time to check if anyone was in the room before walking into the first stall and vomiting. Your dinner and wine from last night burning your throat as you wretched over the bowl. Someone had followed you into the room, pulling your hair back and rubbing circles on your back. They were whispering 'it'll be okay' over and over, watching you dry heave. Tears were streaming down your face, sobs mixed in with the clench of your stomach.

After a while, the dry heaving stopped, your body slumping into a ball. You felt strong hands pull you against a body, and the strong scent of pine and mint filling your nose. Aaron held you in his lap, rocking you slightly as you sobbed. He had followed you into the woman's bathroom and watched you puke. If you hadn't just emptied all the contents of your stomach, you might have tried to care. Instead, you let Aaron run his fingers through your knotted hair and let him wipe the remnants of vomit off your chin. You cried into his chest, listening to his deep voice humming a song in your ear.

The low rumble of his humming put you at ease, your tears slowing and your breathing evening out. He picked you up bridal style, your arms looping around his neck. You felt him carry you out of the bathroom, feeling the team's eyes on you as he carried you to his office. As he passed Emily, he told her to follow him. He set you down on his couch, letting Emily walk over to you. Wanting to give you a moment with her, Aaron handed you a glass of water and left the room.

"Y/n..." Emily started but you cut her off, "Don't. Em, I can't do this now and I can't do this here." You told her, regaining your strength and standing from the couch.

"Y/n, you have to tell Hotch at least. He should know, he's extremely worried about you right now." She took a step towards you, you taking a step back in response.

"I don't _have_ to tell him anything, Emily. He's not my keeper." You spat at her, knowing that you would apologize to her in the future.

She sighed at your statement, "I know that y/n, but he wants to help. What are you going to say that outburst was about? Just felt like vomiting?" Her voice raises the words flying through the air like knives.

"I'll just say it's food poisoning and leave it at that. I don't want all my personal information getting passed around the office like free bait. This is one secret I'd like to keep secret." You told her, giving a pleading look. A part of you was hoping that she would respect your wishes and keep your information to herself, another part was hoping that she might tell Aaron for you so you didn't have to.

"I know that you don't want the team to know, but what if this has something to do with you? Carter is connected to you, and he and the rest of the men look an awful lot like the man you're currently seeing." Her words hurt you more than she expected them to.

Tears filled your eyes again, your voice low and even, "Don't, _ever_ , compare Aaron to that bastard."

That was the last thing you told her before walking out of Aaron's office into the bullpen, leaving her with her mouth hanging open. You went to join Spencer and Morgan at their desks, but Aaron's hand grabbed your elbow and pulled you into the empty conference room. He pulled the blinds shut before turning around to speak to you.

Before he could say anything, you walked towards him, wrapping your arms around his torso. It took him a moment to realize that you were going to him for comfort, but when he did, he enveloped your body with his arms. You let your head nestle under his chin, listening to the sound of his breaths. His low voice humming in your ear again.

When he spoke, his voice filled your head, "What can I do, y/n? I want to help, but you have to tell me what's going on first."

Your eyes stung as tears filled them, your breath shaky as you started to talk, "I'll tell you what's going on, but first we need to talk about us."

He nodded, waiting for you to proceed. Aaron truly didn't have a clue what you were about to say, still unaware of your knowledge of his feelings for you.

"I heard you." You told him, your eyes watching the floor like it was a movie.

"You heard me? Heard me what?" He asked, the confusion lacing his tone.

"I heard you say that, that you l-" You paused, the word 'love' not wanting to pass your lips. "That you lo-" This time Aaron cut you off, holding his hand up for you to stop.

"Y/n, is that why you left my house early that morning? Because you heard me say 'I love you'? I said it, thinking you were asleep. I've been thinking those words for months, way before anything happened between us, and they just kind of... slipped out."

His words pierced your heart like a knife. You wanted so wholeheartedly to love him, but those three words scared you more than anything in your life. Commitment has always been something you struggled with.

"I want to let myself say it. I want to be able to feel it. But there are things in my past that make me put walls, to keep myself from getting burned again." You told him, his face softening at your words.

"I want you to say it when you're ready. I don't want you to say it because you feel like you owe it to me. I want you to say it when you mean it." He said, grabbing your face in his hands.

You lifted your hands to grip his wrists, his attention fully set on your words, "The other thing is, is that my past slightly affects this case." You said meekly.

His mouth slightly gapped at your words, his mind trying to find a way that your past could have to do with the case.

"The man that just went missing, Carter Johnson," you shuttered as you said his name, "is a long term ex-boyfriend of mine."

He took a breath to speak, but you cut him off, wanting to get through this part as fast as possible.

"He was abusive, Aaron. He would hit me, kick me, slap, punch. You name it he probably did it. The last time I saw him, he broke my nose, arm, and a few ribs."

His face shared an angry and sad expression. He almost wished he didn't know about the past, the information making him more reluctant to try to save Carter.

You watched his face change as you told him more and more about what Carter did to you. When you told him about the time he broke your collarbone and you almost had a collapsed lung, tears slid down Aaron's face.

"He had me around his finger. With every hit and slap, I would apologize. I was at his beck and call. I defended him to my family and lost friends over him. He could have done anything and I would have scrubbed my blood off the floor for him." You finally stopped talking, watching Aaron run his fingers through his hair repeatedly.

"If we find this guy alive, y/n, I swear to god I will kill him," Aaron told you, his tone even and serious.

"No you won't, because if you do, that makes you like him." You said, knowing that would keep him from doing something rash.

"Y/n, we have to tell the team." He said as he walked to open the door. Before he could, you stopped him, "Can we leave the fact that I was the girlfriend out of it? Tell them it was one of my friends, instead of me? I don't want the pity smiles or the sad eyes watching my every move. This is one secret I _have_ to keep."

He grabbed your hand, "We can try."

You stood from your chair, grabbing his face lightly. For a moment, you looked at him. His kind eyes staring into your sad ones. Slowly, he pressed his lips against yours. There was no fire or lust behind his lips. The kiss moved slowly, your lips pressed against each other for a while. Your tongue light swiped against his bottom lip, giving him permission to deepen the kiss. He wrapped his strong arms around your waist, your body pressed tightly against his.

When you broke the kiss, you stayed in his arms for a second, not wanting to lose his warmth surrounding you. Eventually, you pulled away from him, wiping the tears from your face.

You barely kept it together while you and Aaron told the team about Carter.

The team deduced that the unsub was likely an injustice collector, punishing men for their wrongdoing. You couldn't help but think that Carter deserved it, but you quickly tried to silence those thoughts. You had a duty to help him.

Aaron split the team up; Rossi and Prentiss went to the ME, Morgan, and Reid went to the latest crime scene, and you, Aaron, and JJ went to the Metro PD station. The plan was to work out of the BAU, but the team needed paper copies and evidence to be moved to the FBI Headquarters.

-

After six hours of non-stop work, the team felt like they were in the same place. Someone had ordered in a few pizzas, and the team was in the conference room eating and working. Evidence boards had been set up, there were papers thrown on the round table. Pictures from the crime scenes were pasted on one of the boards, with the locations written on index cards underneath them. You were picking at your pizza sitting in front of you when an idea popped into your head.

Without hesitation, you blurted out your thoughts, "What if our unsub is female?"

The team turned to look at you with surprise, you had been uncharacteristically quiet during the majority of the case. After they got over the shock of you speaking, they considered the question.

"It would explain the hesitation marks, as well as the need to subdue them with ketamine," Morgan said, pointing to the picture of the shallow marks in the backs of the victims.

"Yeah, but the ME said that all the marks on the back were inflicted post-mortem. The cuts on the legs and torso were premortem." Rossi told him, picking up the ME report.

"These men could be surrogates for the unsubs real rage. She could feel like the real man stabbed her in the back, so she does the same to them." Prentiss offered.

Things had been pretty tense between you and Emily since you left her in Aaron's office. You told her you weren't going to tell Aaron, and now she thinks that you told him that Carter did these things to someone else. You planned to tell her that you told him after you guys were done at the office today.

"That changes the profile a lot, but it makes sense. After the men are dead, she gets a lot more confident." Hotch said, "But how is she moving 170-pound men onto the steps of these buildings? There are no drag marks, and all the video feeds from those nights have been deleted."

"Partner?" You suggested an option that seemed more than viable.

Before someone could answer, JJ entered the room.

"Sorry to interrupt guys, but Carter Johnson's body was just found on the steps of the Treasury Department," JJ told the team with a sigh

It felt like ice water had been poured down your back. Emily and Aaron both looked at you as your eyes unwillingly filled your eyes for the third time that day. Calmly, you stood from the table and walked out of the briefing room. Behind you, you heard Emily and Aaron fighting over who would go talk to you.

"Prentiss, let me handle this. Take the rest of the team to the scene and I'll meet you there." Aaron told Emily, walking after you.

When he found you, you were in the hallway sitting on a bench against the wall. You were bent over, your head in your lap. Small sobs shook through your body. Aaron knelt down in front of you, setting his hands on your shoulders.

"Y/n, it's okay. He's gone. He's never going to hurt you ever again." He told you, watching your head lift at his words.

"I know that, but there's something in me that misses him. Something in me that still confuses what we had with love. I always thought I wanted him to die, but now that he's dead, it feels like there's a hole." You said, watching as your words stirred anger into his expression.

"How could you love him? You can barely look at me when I say those words, but he can say them after decking you and you'll say them right back. God, y/n, what's wrong with you?" He raises his voice, his tone laced with disgust.

"Well, I'm sorry, Aaron. I'm sorry that he manipulated me for years. That he beat me into submission, into compliance. I'm sorry that I can't seem to let anyone love me without the fear of them hurting me. What's wrong with _you,_ Aaron?" You started yelling at him, standing up from the bench.

"Why can't you see that your love is hurting me? Why can't you understand that I desperately want to love you? I want to tell you that _I_ love you. But the last time I told someone that, I was on the floor twenty minutes later with a black eye. Why can't you see that I can't let myself trust you?"

He let out an angry sigh, "Why can't you see that I'm not going to hurt you, y/n. I wish you could see how much I love you. I want to tell every person I find how madly in love with you I am, but _you_ won't let me. I want you. I want the good and the bad, the damage, the tears, the laughter, the late nights, and the early mornings. I want it all. I want you. But you won't let me!" He let out in one breath.

You did the opposite of what he expected, which was to accept his declaration of love. Instead, you walked away. You walked down the stairs and to the garage, you got in your car and drove off the base. You didn't let your tears fall until you made it safely to your apartment. You cried for yourself.

The sound of his voice yelling ' _but you won't let me'_ played on a loop in your mind.

Shortly after you walked away from Aaron, he walked into the elevator. He planned to give you space and time. He would call you after they were done at the crime scene and apologize for his harsh words. Aaron had a small feeling that you wouldn't accept his apology and that whatever this was, was over. And it was his fault.

Before he could make it a few steps out of the elevator, he felt the small prick of a needle in his neck and watched the world go dark as he slumped to the ground. 


	17. Chapter 17

You woke up to the sound of your phone ringing. Emily's caller ID was written across your, you answered the phone, glancing at the time. 9:34 pm _._ You had only been home for a few hours, falling asleep with tears on your face.

"Emily?" You asked, holding the phone to your face.

 _"Is Hotch with you?"_ Emily whispered into the phone, not wanting the team to hear her question.

"No? I left him at HQ, he's probably still there or he went home." You shrugged, not thinking much of his sudden disappearance.

 _"Are you sure? It doesn't seem like him to just go home, especially in the middle of an active case."_ She challenged you. Emily was skeptical that he wasn't with you.

"Yeah but, we had a fight, and I left the base right after. I'm sure he's just upset, we'll see him tomorrow morning." You said lazily into the phone, lifting yourself off the couch and walking into your room. "Em, I want to apologize for what I said in Aaron's office. I didn't mean to snap at you like that."

 _"I know, y/n. I'm sorry for trying to pressure you into telling him before you were ready."_ Emily apologized to you too.

"And if it's any consolation, I did tell Aaron that I was Carter's girlfriend. He agreed to not tell the team that he abused me." You let her know, hoping that it further patched your friendship.

 _"I'm glad, I really want things to work out between you guys."_ Her voice was genuine.

"I do too, but our fight was pretty bad today. He was really mad, and don't get me wrong there was no justification for what he said to me, but I don't want things to be over." You started telling her about the fight you and Aaron had.

 _"What did he say?"_ She asked you, wanting to give you room to talk about what happened

"He asked me what was _wrong_ with me. He said that I won't _let_ him love me, but it's only been two weeks. I like him, but it's too soon to love him." You said in a meek voice, hearing his words play in your head again.

"Is there something wrong with me, Em?"

Your voice wavered, the words feeling so effortless. Like you knew the answer before you asked the question.

_Of course, there is, y/n._

It hurt Emily to hear your words, your voice barely coming above a whisper as you said the words. _"Absolutely not. Y/n, you are perfect. Don't ever think for a second that you aren't worth the world."_

A small tear slipped out of your eye, rolling down your face and dripping off your chin, "Thank you, Em. Thank you."

-

You woke for work, a small pit in your stomach. You didn't want to see Aaron right after your fight, you were still angry at him for what he said. Options on what to say ran through your head as you showered and dressed for work. There was something nagging at you, a bad feeling filled your chest. It felt like something bad was going to happen.

The drive to the base was quiet, the roads oddly bare. You didn't see anyone until you made it up to the sixth floor. It was seven am, but the bullpen was filled with people. The room busy and chaotic. Walking in, you went up to Emily, who was wearing a worried expression.

"What's going on, Em?" You asked her, gesturing to the full office.

"Um, there's been an advancement in the case." She trailed off, not being able to meet your eye line.

"That great," Emily's face fell further, "What's wrong Em, why isn't that a good thing?"

"You need to stay calm, y/n," She paused, finally meeting your eyes, "Hotch was abducted last night."

A wave of panic washed over you, your jaw-dropping. Tears sprung to your eyes, your heart sinking to your stomach.

"H-How? When?" You started looking around, trying to find him, "Are we sure? He could just be late?"

"Y/n, we have video feed of him getting dosed with ketamine in the garage last night." She told you, starting to lead you into the briefing room.

Penelope was sitting next to Derek, his hand comforting her as silent tears rolled down her face. Rossi was on the phone, probably talking to Jessica. Spencer was sitting in front of a computer, a fuzzy video playing on the screen.

When you got closer, you registered what the video was. A needle being shoved into the neck of a tall man, his knees buckling and his body dropping to the ground. A man and a woman with their faces covered, lifting his body and putting it in a dark van. The last thing you saw before the door closed, was Aaron's limp face lit up by the yellow lights in the garage. You watched the van quickly drive away, wheels screeching.

A gasp left your mouth, everyone's attention being drawn to you. There was something that Emily still wasn't telling you, which was evident on their faces.

"What? What aren't you telling me? What else is there?" You asked, turning around to face Emily.

"There's another video, Garcia, pull it up," Rossi told you, Emily giving him a pleading look.

Penelope's tears started falling quicker, as she opened her laptop. "I don't want to watch it again."

Her screen popped up on the large monitor, and she quickly walked out of the room. Derek clicked the play button, turning up the volume on the TV. A gasp leaving your mouth at the image.

Aaron's face popped up on the screen, his face littered with bruises. His hair was messy, blood matted on his hairline. The white shirt he was wearing was dirty with blood and sweat, ripped open in the front. There were shallow cuts on his chest and arms, his wrists and ankles bound to the chair he was sitting in.

A low voice started speaking, it was obvious that there was a filter over the voice, to hide the identity of the speaker.

"The Behavioral Analysis Unit of the FBI, you have twenty-four hours to save your _fearless_ leader, before I tear him limb from limb. I will kill him slowly, and painfully if you go a second over." The voice spoke, a timer flicking on.

You heard Aaron's voice, a small whimper falling from his mouth, "Y/n."

At his words, a fist pushed into his abdomen, a loud grunt pushing out of his chest.

Tears fell from your eyes as you watched the arm punch Aaron's torso relentlessly, over 15 strikes landing on his body. The video cut out, being replaced with a live feed of Aaron. The clock read _14:37:12_ , the seconds ticking by. The bruises had developed on his abdomen, the cuts scabbed over with blood.

You turned to face the rest of the team, fear in your eyes, "Have we tried to trace the live feed?" You asked them shakily.

"It's untraceable, but Garcia is going to keep trying to find it," Emily told you with a sigh.

Rossi was the first to speak, placing a comforting hand on your shoulder, "We're going to find him, kid." He told you.

"Have we finished the profile?" You asked with a shaky voice.

"We need to get the ME report from Carter Johnson to finish it." Morgan finally spoke, standing from his chair.

"I'd like to go to the coroner." You told Rossi shortly, wanting to be anywhere but there.

"If you're sure, I'm fine with that. Go down with Reid. Hurry, we're on a literal clock." Rossi nodded to you as he spoke.

-

When you got back from the ME, the clock read _11:20:57_. The report was the same as the other five men, the cause of death being exsanguination.

It felt like the timer was staring you down, it felt like the timer was moving faster than normal time but also slower at the same time. It was like you were still, while everyone around you was moving fast.

Your head was spinning, trying to figure out where Aaron could be.

Pulling out of your trance, you spoke, "The unsub put emphasis on the word _fearless_. Could that be a clue? Could she be saying that they're somewhere that makes either Aaron or her scared?"

Emily nodded at your suggestion, "That could be a possibility, what would scare him?"

No one spoke, everyone turning to look at you. It dawned on you.

_Do they think I know what would scare Aaron the most? Have we really been that obvious in our 'relationship'?_

"Y/n, don't overthink it. What would scare Hotch?" Rossi repeated the question.

"Okay, well first thing I thought of was Jack, but he's accounted for and safe. I'm not sure what else, he's not a very fearful person... " You trailed off, feeling guilty about your lack of knowledge.

"Could it be you, y/n?" Emily suggested, "He could be scared of losing you."

The team nodded at her words, then they looked to you again.

"Where have the two of you gone together?" Rossi asked, your jaw-dropping in shock, "You can pick up your jaw, y/n. We've known. Get your head in gear, where have you gone?"

Shaking off your surprise, "Uh, not many places. We've gone to an Italian restaurant, we stood on the roof and looked at the stars, and we've gone to coffee once." You rattled off the list of places you've been with Aaron, the memories from the days flooding your mind. "Oh! There's an abandoned warehouse near the coffee shop! I think about a block away."

The team jumped to actions, grabbing their jackets and making their way to the elevators. You drove one SUV, Emily in the passenger seat and Rossi in the back. Morgan drove JJ and Reid, following you to the warehouse. Your grip was deadly on the wheel, listening to Rossi call SWAT. When you parked outside the building, you immediately jumped out, running towards the entrance to the warehouse. Before you could make it far, a hand grabbed your wrist keeping you in place.

"Y/n, we can't go in. We have to wait for SWAT, we have no idea what's waiting for us in there." Emily told you, an apologetic look on your face.

You bit your nails as you waited for SWAT to arrive. Rossi gave them a quick run down and talked to the leader before leading the way into the old building. Luckily there were only two floors and a roof to clear. In the middle of the first floor, there was an enclosed tent set up, lights shining through the thick tarps. You followed a SWAT member, your gun and flashlight held out in front of you.

When the tarp was pulled back, a gasp left your mouth at the sight.

Aaron was sitting hunched over in a chair. His wrists were still bound to the arms, his ankles had been cut free. There were bruises littered on his face and chest, and about half a dozen cuts on his back, the blood seeping onto his white shirt. His abdomen was covered in shallow marks, along with his thighs. Around the chair, on the ground, was small puddles of blood. Dried blood was matted on his hairline, his nose actively bleeding and broke.

You quickly approached him, pressing two fingers against his neck. There was a weak but steady pulse. Holding his face, you let the SWAT agent cut the restraints off his wrists. Someone called for a medic, but it wasn't you. You were too focused on Aaron. His heavy eyelids opened to look at you, your name leaving his mouth with a sigh.

"Y/n..."

He passed out from the loss of blood. You held up his torso, watching the medics wheel a gurney towards you. Never once did you leave his side, your hand practically glued to his. In the ambulance, he slipped in and out of consciousness, your name leaving his mouth.

"Y/n..."

"I'm here. I'm right here, Aaron." You told him, cupping his face lightly.

"I love you, y/n." He said, wincing in pain as he spoke.

"I know, Aaron. I know you do, I'm right here." You repeat yourself, "I'm right here, I'm here. You're okay, we've got you."

The ambulance sped to the hospital, sirens wailing and beeping as the car weaved through traffic. He passed out again, the loss of blood being too much.

When the ambulance came to a fast stop, the doors were pulled open and they started to pull the gurney out of the car. You were helped out of the tall vehicle, walking after Aaron. Before you could catch-up with him, a nurse held you back.

"Ma'am, you can't go back there. It's hospital staff only, we need to check him in." She told you, seeing the sad look on your face. "He's in good hands I promise, and you can see him as soon as he gets out of surgery."

"You can wait in here and fill out the paperwork if you don't know something, just leave it blank." A clipboard with papers was handed to you, along with a pen.

Sitting down in the waiting area, you filled out the paper. You surprised yourself when you knew most of the answers. After you handed the nurse the forms again, you grabbed your phone to call Emily.

"Hey, Em. Aaron's in surgery now, his injuries are substantial, but they think he'll pull through." You told her, hearing a relieved sigh on her end.

 _"That's great, y/n. The team is going to try and get there as soon as possible."_ Emily let you know, but she sounded unsure. You ignored her tone, asking about the unsub.

"How'd the takedown go? Did she give up easily?" You asked eagerly.

She paused for a moment, a rock forming in your stomach, "Emily, what happened? Did someone else get hurt? Did you have to shoot her?" Questions started pouring out your mouth, people staring at you in the waiting room.

 _"I- no one got hurt. She wasn't even there, y/n. But we found a wall covered in pictures. A few of the team, but the majority of them were of you and Aaron."_ She started to tell you.

_"There were pictures of you guys_ **_together_ ** _. I took the graphic ones down before the team could see, but any time you and Aaron were together, there are pictures. Ones at the coffee shop, on the roof at HQ, in his car in the garage, and a lot of you in his bed."_

You lowered yourself into the chair behind you, a silent gasp leaving your mouth. You felt violated and exposed. Someone had watched everything you and Aaron had done together.

"C-Can you send a picture of the wall? Please?" Your voice sounded unsure, but you wanted to see everything they had on you.

 _"I took a few, with all the pictures still up. Unfortunately, we can't get rid of any of the pictures. But we can keep them away from Strauss, at least the ones that make it seem like you guys are together."_ She said with a sigh. _"I'll send them now, keep us in the loop if something changes."_

The call ended, a few notifications popping up on your phone.

Scrolling through the images, your jaw dropped in horror. Large printed pictures of you and Aaron were pasted on the wall. Zooming in, you examined individual pictures. A picture of you, strapped down to Aaron's bed naked, eyes covered, Aaron's body hovering over yours. Another one of you, bent over his desk, his hand blurry as he moved it to strike you. One of you and Aaron drinking coffee in his car, your feet sitting in his lap. Another of you and Aaron standing on the roof of the office.

_She's been watching us this whole time. There's a picture of me crying on the curb after our first night together._

Your eyes landed on pictures of you and Emily in the throes of pleasure in a hotel room, bed sheets messy, and clothes were strewn around the room.

_Oh no, Aaron's going to see those pictures. He doesn't even know that I'm queer, and he definitely doesn't know that you and Emily had slept together._

Before you could keep going through the pictures, the nurse came back, "Just an update, he's still in surgery, but holding on. They think he should pull through fine."

You sighed at the news, texting the update to the team group chat.

_Y/n to BAU gc: Just got an update, he's still in surgery. They think he's going to pull through just fine._

_Paparossi to BAU gc: Sounds good, keep him, company kid._

_Babygirl to BAU gc: Oh thank god, I was worried sick._

_BoyGenius to BAU gc: That's great!_

_ChocolateThunder to BAU gc: That's a relief, keep us in the loop._

_CheetoDust to BAU gc: That's great, I'll let Jessica and Jack know!_

_Sin2Win to BAU gc: We'll keep you in the loop about the case too, don't let Aaron get too lonely ;)_

_Y/n to BAU gc: Sounds good guys, I'll be waiting for you guys!_

Putting your phone away, you let your mind wander. Replaying the ride to the hospital, Aaron falling in and out of consciousness

_"I love you, y/n."_

The words comfort you, and you wanted so desperately to tell him that you loved him too. You bit your tongue, wanting the first time you tell him to be much more special than in an ambulance, him on the brink of death.

Time passed slowly, the clock ticking down the minutes. Every hour, the same nurse would come and update you on his progress. Around _8 pm_ , the team showed up. Emily was the first to hug you, pulling you aside from the team after you greeted them.

"Did you see the pictures of _us_?" She asked you, worry written on her face.

"I did, we look good by the way." You told her with a laugh and a wink, trying to lighten the mood.

The worry melted off her face, a laugh leaving her mouth.

You sat with the team, accepting the coffee Spencer offered you. After two hours of talking about the case, everyone ignoring the numerous pictures of you and Aaron together, the nurse came to update the team on Aaron.

"Aaron Hotchner?" The team perked up, Rossi and Morgan standing from their chairs, "He pulled through, and is recovering in the ICU. He asked to see y/f/n y/l/n?" She looked around, waiting for you to identify yourself.

You stood up from your place on Emily's shoulder, following the nurse to Aaron's room. She opened the door, letting you walk in alone. He was propped up in the hospital bed, bandages covering his whole torso. The bruises on his face were a dark purple, small steri strips holding the gashes on his face closed. Tears started falling down your face, your steps faltering as you walked towards the bed.

"Aaron..." You muttered, sitting down in the chair next to the bed. A single tear slid down your face, dripping on the floor. He grabbed your hand, squeezing it tightly.

"I'm fine, y/n. You don't need to worry anymore, I'm right here." He comforted you.

"Why are you comforting me, you're the one who was..." You trailed off, not wanting to talk about what happened.

"You're the only reason, I'm alive y/n." He told you, moving his hand to grab your face, "I couldn't die without apologizing for what I said."

"I don't even remember what you said, I'm just focused on having you back." You responded, moving your hand to cup his face too.

He tugged your head towards his, letting you close the short distance between your faces. You lightly pressed your lips against his, relishing in the contact. He pressed against the back of your head slightly, deepening the kiss. You sighed into his mouth, just being glad to have him back. You both broke apart at the sound of the door opening.

A dark flush spread across both your faces as the team filed into the room, smug smirks plastered on their faces. Aaron looked shocked and worried.

"Aaron, it's okay, they've known for a while." You assured him, your hand slipping into his naturally.

The team asked him how he was doing, people scattered around the room. After a while, most of them left. Emily and Rossi stayed back to get a statement from Aaron. He didn't want you to hear what happened, but you insisted that you had to stay. He recounted what happened, agreeing to talk to a sketch artist in the morning.

"There's one more thing..." He said, shifting slightly. He pushed the sheets off his legs, showing another bandage right on his hip. Peeling back the covering, a gasp left your mouth and tears filled your eyes.

Your initials were carved into his skin, right under his hip bone. The cuts were deep, obviously very deliberate, and calmly done.

"Oh god, Aaron. I'm so sorry." Your eyes never leaving his hip as you spoke.

"Y/n it's not your fault, you didn't do it." He reassured you, grabbing your face. He forced you to look at him, his thumb swiping the tears off your face gently.

Emily and Rossi, excused themselves, asking you to talk to them in the hallway for a moment before they left the hospital.

"Y/n, we're going to put a protective detail on the two of you. We got permission from Strauss to give you the choice. You can stay at your apartment alone and Hotch alone at his, you can have Aaron stay with you, or you can stay at his house. We don't need an answer till the morning, but if you leave the hospital, you will be followed by an officer." Rossi started to take you through the situation, and how the protective detail works.

Emily took over the conversation, "We also thought that it would be better to come from you, we've had Jessica and Jack put into witsec. He won't take it well, Jack's been in witsec before, as you know. Talk to him about everything, and keep us updated." She told you, pulling you into a hug before leaving with Rossi.

You took a moment to process everything, filling your chest with a deep breath before walking back into the room.

Aaron gave you a small smile as you walked into the room, sitting back down in the chair next to him.

"We're on a protective detail, aren't we?" He asked you, assuming that was what Rossi and Emily told you. You nodded, but he could see that there was still something bothering you, "Y/n, what else?"

"Uh- Jack and Jessica, they've been put into WITSEC, until we find our unsub." You told him, watching his face fall at the news. "I'm sorry, Aaron."

He let a small tear fall, quickly wiping it away before you could see it, "O-okay. But otherwise, he's fine? Do they know why?"

"Jessica does, Jack doesn't." You said shortly, pulling your hand away from his. He reached to grab it again.

"Y/n, I'm not mad at you. This isn't your fault." He told you, squeezing your hand tightly.

"They said that we have options for our protective detail." His eyebrows raised, waiting for you to continue, "We can have two details, and we live alone, or we can stay together at one of our places."

His eyes lit up at your words, obviously intrigued by living with you, "I would be okay with either of the options, I don't want to pressure you into something before you're ready."

You took a moment to think, even though you already knew what your answer was, "Can we stay at your place?" You asked quietly, giving him puppy dog eyes.

"Yes, we can, little girl." He said, grabbing your face. Your stomach flipped when he said your nickname.

You smiled, leaning in to kiss him. He swiped his tongue on your bottom lip, before grazing his teeth lightly on your tongue. You moaned lightly, pulling away from him. You sat back down in your chair, speaking.

"You need to sleep, Aaron. Save your strength." He nodded, but he looked like he wanted to say something, "What is it, Aaron?"

"W-will you lay with me? I just want some comfort." He asked sheepishly, not used to being so vulnerable in front of anyone.

"Of course." You climbed carefully onto the bed, making sure not to move any tubes or wires.

You snuggled into him, his arms secured around your waist. He put his head on top of yours, smelling your lavender conditioner. His open hand found yours, his fingers lacing with yours. You both dozed off together, this time he knew you were awake when he said

"I love you, y/n."

You didn't respond, just smiled against his chest.


	18. Chapter 18

You woke to a nurse scolding you, they didn't like that you had slept next to him all night. Aaron was quick to defend you, letting the nurse know that he was fine and that he had asked you to. The doctors did tests on him, checking his wounds and fractures. Luckily, he only had a few fractures, some in his face, and a few in his ribs.

When the sketch artist came to get a description from Aaron, you left the room, calling Rossi to update him.

 _"Hey kid, how's he doing?"_ Rossi asked, skipping a formal greeting.

"Good, he's just a little sore. They did a few additional tests this morning and changed his bandages. The sketch artist is with him now." You told him, hearing his content hum at your words.

 _"Did you guys come to a decision on living arrangements for the protective detail?"_ He asked you, having a feeling he already knew the answer.

"Yeah, we're going to stay at his house. We'll probably swing by my place today, before going to his. He's getting discharged today." You said sheepishly, a smile spreading across your face at the thought.

 _"Okay, I'll let Erin know. You need to let me know when you're leaving, so we can have a team ready to search your apartment. You also need to meet your WITSEC Marshal, I'll let him know that he's starting today. He'll be at the hospital soon, his name is Trevor Stevens. Like always, check his badge and creds before letting him in the room."_ Rossi explained what to do, knowing that you already knew most of the information. He needed to feel like he could do something, after feeling so powerless the past 24 hours.

"Of course, Rossi. I have my gun and badge with me as well. Aaron's creds are here too." You told him, "Thanks, Rossi."

_"Anytime, kid."_

He hung up, probably going to work on the case more. Glancing into Aaron's room, he waved you in, letting you know he was done.

The artist was finishing up a few details. He was facing towards you, so you couldn't see what he had drawn. When he was done, he held the pad up, letting you look at the woman.

The stone-cold eyes of Briza Vazquez were staring at you. You'd never forget that face. Never.

A gasp left your mouth, Aaron's head turning to look at you. He thought you might recognize her, but he didn't expect such a shocked reaction.

"I know her, from college. That's Briza Vazquez, she went to school with me at Yale." You told them, grabbing your phone to call Rossi again.

Aaron stared at you, dumbfounded, listening to you speak on the phone.

"Rossi, our unsub is Briza Vazquez. She went to Yale with me, and we have a _history_." You said, listening to Rossi's response and then ending the call.

You thanked the sketch artist and told him to get the picture to the BAU. Once he left, you turned to look at Aaron, waiting for him to speak. His mouth was slightly open, a confused and shocked look on his face.

"Go ahead, Aaron. Just ask the question." You sighed as you spoke.

"How do you know her?" He asked quietly.

"We went to Yale together, she was a _friend._ We haven't talked in years, so I'm not sure what brought this on." You told him, skipping over the finer details.

"Yes, but how do you _know_ her? You told Dave that you have a _history_ with her." He said, looking at you expectantly.

"We haven't exactly had this talk yet, but I'm sure you know that I'm not straight." You started to tell him, "I dated Briza for a few months in my junior year at Yale. We didn't have a lot of shared interests, and she didn't appreciate that I spent a lot of time working. We drifted apart, and eventually, I broke things off."

"When?" He asked.

"When, what? Aaron?" You questioned, wanting to know exactly what he meant before further exposing yourself.

"When did you break up with her?" He said through clenched teeth.

"I'm not sure the exact date, but it was mid-December. It was finals time, and I was incredibly stressed." You told him with a dismissive shrug.

"December 16th?" He asked you, waiting for you to remember the date.

"Yeah, that sounds right. Why?" You looked at him. He gave you a rude sigh, before answering.

"I was abducted on December 16th. The date approaching set her off, and when it was the date, she and her partner abducted me from the garage and held me for thirteen hours. She tortured me, telling me that she was going to kill me and then Jack. Telling me that she was going to leave me just alive enough to die in your arms. She said that she was going to work her way through the team, leaving only you." His voice started to rise, letting his emotion overtake him.

"So that you would be so _terribly_ alone." Aaron's voice broke at the word, a tear slipping from his eye.

"Then she would just watch you. Watch you break, watch you mourn. Watch the hairs on your neck stand up from the feeling of someone watching you. She would take more pictures and leave them on your doorstep so that you knew that someone was watching." He kept talking, his words speeding up, along with his breaths.

_He's panicking._

Without thinking, you walked over to him. His tears were falling faster, his chest heaving with his breaths. You climbed onto the bed, carefully straddling him. You wrapped yourself around him, applying even pressure on his body. At first, he fought you slightly, trying to wiggle from underneath you, but then he let his shoulders drop. His arms wrapped around your waist, his face buried into your neck. He let sobs rack through his body, his tears dampening your shirt. You let him cry, feeling his body relax at the feeling of you around him.

"I love you, y/n. I love you. I love you so much. I love you, I love you, I love you..." He repeated the words over and over. It seemed like they soothed him, and he wasn't looking for a response, so you listened to his words.

One hand slipped under his shirt to land on his chest, tracing a pattern into his skin. The other was low on his back, letting the same pattern trace on his back. You knew that skin to skin contact would help him calm down.

He let you rock him slightly, humming the same song that he did the other day. That day felt like it was months ago. His fingers tightly gripped your shirt, not wanting you to move. After about ten minutes of constant crying, Aaron started to come down. His breathing started to even, the tears slowing and eventually stopping. Feeling him relax more, you shifted slightly, laying next to him. You gestured for him to snuggle into you, his face pressed into your chest and his legs wrapped around yours. He fully relaxed, letting himself fall asleep.

When a nurse came in, she gave you a dirty look, but you quietly explained to her that he had had a panic attack. She gave you a nod, leaving the room quickly, so she didn't disturb him. Every time he would shift in his sleep, his grip around your body tightened. It broke your heart to see Aaron so hurt. He hated being exposed and open like that.

While he slept, you thought about what he said.

_"I love you so much."_

_"I love you, y/n."_

_"I love you."_

A small tear drifted down your face, "I love you too, Aaron" You said, your whisper barely audible. You weren't even sure you had made a noise, so you said it again.

"I love you, Aaron, I love you too." You said, letting your voice shift from a whisper to speaking.

He shifted lightly on top of you, and you froze. He hadn't heard you, but you're sure he knew.

You heard a knock at the door, and you had to get up to open the door. Aaron flopped onto the bed slightly, still sleeping soundly. Looking through the window, you saw a tall man. He had short light brown hair and piercing blue eyes. He was wearing a simple button-down and a black leather jacket, jeans covering his legs. You opened the door slightly, waiting for him to introduce himself.

"Hi, I'm US Marshal Trevor Stevens, are you Agent y/l/n?" He asked you shortly, his voice low and grumbly.

"Can I see some identification please?" You asked, keeping the door almost closed. He reached into his back pocket, pulling out his WITSEC credentials. The badge was very obviously real, so you reached into your pocket, presenting him with your credentials. He scanned it quickly with his eyes, nodding slightly.

"Agent Hotchner is sleeping right now," You told him, opening the door to let him see the sleeping man on the bed, "but you are more than welcome to come in."

He walked in, taking a seat in the corner. You sat next to the bed, your body facing Trevor's.

You quietly asked Trevor about his job and he asked about yours, while Aaron got some much-needed sleep.

After a while, the conversation fell quiet, and you grabbed your phone. You scrolled mindlessly, just waiting for Aaron to wake. Once he woke up, he would be discharged and the two of you could go home.

_Home?_

_Well, to Aaron's house._

_Ha, you called it home._

Before you could get too lost in thought, Aaron stirred next to you. Putting your phone away, you leaned up to speak to him.

"Aaron, our WITSEC Marshal is here." You whispered to him.

His eyes shot open, sitting up quickly.

Trevor was the first to speak, walking over to the bed, "Hello, Agent Hotchner. I'm US Marshal Stevens from Witness Protection." He said awkwardly, reaching his hand out to shake Aaron's.

"Hi, Agent Stevens. Thank you for keeping us safe." Aaron said shortly, but he was genuine in his words. He turned to you, "You should call Dave, the whole team needs to have some type of protection."

Agent Stevens took that as his cue to move into the hallway. You called Rossi, letting him know what Briza had said about the team. Once you got off the phone, you turned to Aaron.

"Let's get you dressed, we're going home." You said with a smile.

It was no easy feat getting him dressed, he was still very sore. The cuts on his back brought tears to your eyes, and the bandage on his hip staring at you. You helped him into a pair of his sweats, the grey pants hanging off his hips. He let you slide a loose button-down up his arms, the fabric brushing against the scabs on his back. You walked back around him, helping him button the shirt. You couldn't help but stare, the cuts and bruises burning into your brain. He put a finger under your chin, lifting it slightly.

"This is _not_ your fault, little girl." He said, forcing you to meet his eyes. You nodded your head slightly, letting him know that you understood.

You let your hand rest on his chest, leaning towards him. He let his hand sit lightly on your waist, pulling you into his body. Your lips connected with his, a small chaste kiss. It was for comfort, and it felt like you had been doing it for years.

"Let's go home." He told you.

Opening the door, Agent Stevens looked up from his phone. He pushed away from the wall he was leaning on, and asked, "Ready?"

You and Aaron nodded, you weren't sure if Trevor was aware of you and Hotch's 'relationship' but you decided against holding his hand. He brushed his pinky against the back of your hand, searching for your finger. You stretched your pinky out, feeling his wrap around yours.

You climbed into the driver's seat of an unmarked SUV, forcing Aaron to sit in the passenger seat. Stevens would follow you to your apartment so that he could know the location and you could pack a bag. The drive was quiet, but the silence was comforting. Your hand set laced with Aaron's, the warmth radiating from his hand. Once you parked at your apartment, you saw Rossi and a few officers standing in the parking lot. Aaron had texted him while you guys were driving over. You handed him a key, waiting outside the complex while they searched the house.

Rossi walked out of the door first, giving you a nod and a thumbs up. You and Aaron made your way into your apartment, but Rossi stopped you before you could get too far.

"I wanted to let you know, Agent Stevens is aware of you and Hotch's relationship," Rossi told you, patting you on the shoulder as he walked away.

You led Aaron to your bedroom. He stood awkwardly in the middle of your room, watching you grab a bag and throw clothes into it. You motioned him over, guiding his hands around your body as you organized the bag. You stood in his warm embrace, moving things around in your duffle-bag.

"Aaron?" he hummed in response, "Will you go grab a few of my travel cups from the cupboard over the sink? Any are fine."

You watched him walk out of the room, quickly walking over to your underwear drawer. You grabbed a bunch of comfy pairs of underwear, shoving them into your bag. You looked at the left side of the drawer, selecting a few lacy pairs of panties. Moving to your bras, you grabbed comfy ones, bralettes, and a few lacy and sheer ones. Walking back into your closet, you picked a few lacy negligees, two silk slip dresses, and three lacy and revealing bodysuits. A smirk set on your face as you put all the clothes into your bag.

Hearing Aaron's footsteps approaching, you quickly zipped the bag and walked into your bathroom. You packed up all your toiletries, grabbing makeup, shampoo, and conditioner, a bag containing pads and tampons, your toothbrush and toothpaste, and all your face washes and creams. Double-checking the bathroom and bedroom, you grabbed your charger from the wall. Looking at Aaron, you gave him a smile before leading the way back to the car. He offered to carry your bag, but he had just been tortured, so of course, you said no.

At Aaron's house, you choose to put your bags in the guest room. You had decided that Aaron needed some space to heal and to be alone. He protested, but in the end, you won. You walked back down to the living room, glancing at your watch, _6:58 pm_.

"Hey, Aaron? It's kind of late, do you want to order in some dinner?" You called out, not knowing where he was in the house. He answered from the kitchen, "Yeah, you can choose."

"Pizza?" You asked him, "Pizza." He answered.

You ate pizza and watched Toy Story with him. It may be a children's movie, but it was good nonetheless. You could tell that he missed Jack, often looking where he would be sitting. He would always watch Jack's reactions, instead of the actual movie. When 'You've Got a Friend in Me' started playing, you hummed along, your face laying on top of his chest. He shifted from under you, standing up from the couch. He didn't say anything, he just offered you his hand. Confused, you took, and he pulled you off the couch into his arms. He started to sway slightly.

_This man is so cheesy. He's dancing with me in the middle of his living room to Toy Story._

You laughed slightly, feeling him shift his hands. He moved his hands to your waist, your arms looping around his neck. You sang the lyrics to him softly, rocking back and forth.

_"You've got a friend in me, you've got a friend in me. You got troubles, I've got 'em too. There isn't anything I wouldn't do for you. We stick together and see it through. 'Cause, you've got a friend in me. You've got a friend in me."_

He lifted you slightly, your feet landing on top of his. His arms wrapped around your waist, pulling you flush against his body. You continued to hum the song and he joined in with his low voice.

After the movie, you both moved to your separate bedroom. Your bed was cold, but you knew that you had to go at least one night in his house without being in his bed. You fell asleep quickly, you could still feel Aaron's touch on you. He was infectious.

At _3:49 am_ , you jolted awake to the sound of someone shouting and screaming in Aaron's room. Sprinting down the hall, you entered the room. Aaron's eyes were screwed shut, and he was thrashing in his bed. He was having a nightmare. You approached him quickly, grabbing his shoulders lightly to shake him awake. His eyes snapped open, looking around the room.

"Aaron, hey. You had a bad dream, you're fine." You told him, stroking his hair gently.

"Wh-What?" He asked with a dazed look in his eyes, "What happened?" Aaron looked around the room, looking for some type of treat. 

"Aaron, you had a had dream, I've got you. You're fine, you're right here with me." You explained in a soft voice, his head leaning into your touches. 

"W-will you stay?" He asked, looking away from your eyes.

"Of course." You said, sliding into the bed.

He wrapped himself around you, locking you against his body.

A few more times that night, he started yelling and thrashing again. You would calmly wake him up and let him know he was okay. Neither of you got much sleep, but you didn't care. You just wanted to help him.


	19. Chapter 19

You and Rossi had tried multiple times to keep Aaron at home. He was still very sore, and he needed time to rest and heal. However, Aaron decided that he was going into the office. No matter what. Deciding not to have a fight, you let him, but you gave him one small limitation.

"You cannot go in the field, no matter what. Not until you are cleared, physically and mentally." His face falling slightly at your words.

The bullpen was oddly desolate when you and Aaron walked in, only six agents sitting in the briefing room. There were evidence boards lining the walls, littered with papers and photos. Once you were in the room, the conversation fell silent. Nobody knew what to say.

"Let's get to work," Aaron said with a snap, sitting down at the table, "I think we need to build a completely new profile, start from scratch."

The team nodded in agreement, the stale silence ringing.

"Okay, well I can help with the information on Briza Vazquez." You spit out, breaking the heavy blanket of quiet, "Briza is 28, from Annapolis Maryland. She graduated from Yale with me, and she studied Sociology and Psychology. Briza is _extremely_ smart, although clever might be a better way to put it. She knows how to evade people, and she knows how to find someone's weakness and turn it against them."

"She did it to me..." You trailed slightly, thinking back to manipulative things she would say to you.

The team waited to see if you were going to continue speaking. You stayed silent, sitting down next to Aaron.

"Okay, we know that she's mission-oriented. Her first five kills were meaningless, almost like practice. Carter Johnson was her way of catching y/n's attention. She wanted y/n on edge." Emily started to profile Briza, your head nodding as she spoke.

"Abducting Hotch was solely to hurt y/n. She wanted to see her fall apart, but luckily y/n didn't. I'd say it's safe to say that her endgame is getting y/n to break. She wants her to feel pain." Rossi continued from where Emily left off.

"I think the real question is why she's doing this?" Morgan asked, his eyes landing on you.

"I- Um, well. She and I dated in my junior year at Yale. We were a part of a small friend group," You started to tell the team, as you talked Aaron's hand found yours under the table. He squeezed it gently, wrapping his large hand around yours.

You continued, "We dated for a few months, but things fell apart pretty quickly. It was finals week, and Briza didn't like that my focus wasn't on her. I was studying non-stop, not giving her enough attention apparently. Anyways, when I broke up with her, the friend group sided with me. They quickly stopped inviting her to parties and study sessions, basically breaking all ties with her. I felt awful, but things were so tense between us, I couldn't just bring her back into the group." Your guilt washed over you.

_You brought this on yourself, y/n. If you hadn't been such a bitch, she wouldn't be trying to kill you right now._

"That makes sense. She saw how close we are, and she wanted you to feel the loss of a group. Like she did. And seeing that you dated her, her possessiveness over you made her want to hurt Hotch. She didn't like seeing you so happy." Spencer said, gesturing to the team sitting around the table.

"Y/n, you should probably check in with your friends, they need to be put in protective custody." Rossi told you, handing you a pen and paper, "Write down their names and number, and I'll get an agent to get them here."

"What about my family?" You asked with a worried look.

"They've already been put into WITSEC, I decided that last night. I was going to tell you after we debriefed." Rossi said, part of your worry sliding off your shoulders.

"You can explain the case to your friends when they get here, and you need to be very clear about the danger they're in," Aaron said, moving his hand to squeeze your thigh.

You nodded in understanding, "We need to deliver the profile as soon as possible." You told the team, listening to their hums of agreement.

After calling in the Metro Police and other agents on the case, the team took the room full of people through Briza's profile. It was important that they didn't approach her alone, because she's extremely dangerous.

-

A few hours later, you saw three worried people spill out of the elevators. Megan, Blake, and Aly were standing outside of the bullpen, visitor passes hanging on their necks. They looked through the glass doors of the BAU, seeing your stressed form sitting at a desk. They watched a man speak to you and gesture towards the elevators, your head snapping up and spotting them.

You jumped to your feet, running out of the bullpen. They pulled you into their arms, your worries melting for a few moments. Extracting yourself from their embrace, you lead them to an office down the hall.

"Thank you guys for coming on such short notice," You took a pause, not knowing how to explain the case to them, "The BAU has a case, that might involve you three."

Confusion crossed over their faces, their eyes never leaving yours.

"Us?" Aly questioned, "How could an FBI case have something to do with us?"

"Do you guys remember Briza Vazquez, from a few years ago? She went to Yale with me, and we dated for a few months." You asked them, trying not to profile them.

"Yeah, that manipulative bitch from junior year?" Blake asked, rolling his eyes at the thought of Briza.

"Yes her. Well, long story short, she's kind of trying to kill anyone close to me. My friends and family being high on her list." Your face dropping as you spoke.

They stared at you, mouths gaping and fear filling their eyes. You saw Megan's hands clenching at her sides, Aly's eyes glazing over with tears, and Blake's breath and pulse speed up.

"We are going to put you in a program called Witness Protection. There will be a US Marshal that will keep each of you safe until we apprehend Briza. We do need to warn you; she is extremely dangerous. You'll need to trust the Marshal you are given, your trust will keep you alive." You told them. You didn't want to scare them, but you needed them to understand the severity of their situation.

_A situation that you caused. You've caused so much pain and suffering through one simple action. You got Hotch tortured by yet another unsub, your friends and family are being put into WITSEC. What's wrong with you?_

The question rang in your mind as you blocked out your friends, Megan's hand on your shoulder broke your spiraling trance, "Y/n? Hey? You in there?"

"Wha- Oh, yeah. Sorry got a little lost in thought there. I really am sorry that you guys are caught up in this, I never intended for any of this to happen." Your voice caught in your throat as you spoke.

"No one could have predicted this, y/n. It's not your fault." Blake said, standing from his chair to pull you into a hug. The two girls quickly joined in the hug, the comfort of your long time friends taking you back to simpler times.

"Okay, well, I really need to get to work. Ya know, just gotta find the girl trying to kill us." You told them, stepping out of the group hug.

"Before we leave, can we meet _him_?" Aly asked, apparently reading you like a book. Also, the hickey on your neck was pretty incriminating.

"Okay fine, I'll let you meet the whole team. But say a word about him, and I'll have your head on a platter." You joked, but your tone was serious.

They all agreed and followed you into the bullpen. You decided to start light with Spencer and Emily, the interaction between them going smoothly. It was weird seeing your two worlds intertwine. When you're with the three of them, you can be stupid and loud. You laugh every time you're with them. But with the BAU, things were a tad more professional, minus the fact that you had slept with _two_ of your coworkers. You were more reserved and you didn't laugh the same as you do with your friends. Since the day you set foot in the BAU, however, it was home to you.

After Emily and Spencer, you walked them over to Morgan and Penelope. Penelope being herself, pulled each one into a tight hug. Morgan was undressing Aly with his eyes, but you tried to ignore it. He flirted hard with her, throwing a few winks her way. You pulled them away from his desk, trying to keep Derek's hips to himself. Rossi was in his office, so you knocked and let yourself in. The conversation was short, the three obviously intimidated by the older man.

Lastly, you led them across the catwalk and in front of Hotch's office. You turned towards them, "Give me one second with him, and before you ask, yes he is the one I'm sleeping with." You told him, watching their faces light up with joy.

You knocked as you opened the door, slipping into Aaron's office, "Aaron?"

He was sitting at his desk, pen running across the page.

"Yeah?" He said without looking up. When he glanced to see who it was, his face softened and he stood to meet you in the middle of the room, "What's up, y/n?"

"My friends wanted to meet you, but I wanted to make sure you were okay with it beforehand?" You watched as he nodded to answer your question, "I want to warn you that they aren't aware of what happened to you, and they can be a bit... well, _eager_." You told him, glancing out of the window.

They practically had their noses pressed against the window, trying to hear what you were saying. When they saw you looking at them, they moved away from the window quickly, you could hear their stifled laugh through the door.

"Like I said, _eager._ Just don't get freaked out by them." You said, placing a quick peck on his lips before moving to open the door.

Quickly whispering to them, "Please be kind, or I'll have the FBI frame you." You threatened before letting them into the room.

Aaron shook their hands as you introduced them, the conversation going nicely. They were obviously trying to avoid personal questions, but when a few popped out, you shot them a glare. At some point, you had subconsciously moved closer to Aaron. Your arms brushing against each other, instinctually, you wrapped your pinky around his.

You watched your friends' eyes flit between your interlocked fingers and you and Aaron's face, smirks spreading across their faces.

"Okay, well, they have a lot of _fun_ paperwork to fill out. This was fun. Let's go guys." You said to them, trying to get them out of the room as fast as possible. As you walked out, you mouthed _'sorry'_ to Aaron, his face set in a smile.

Once you ushered them out of the bullpen you spoke, "Way to play it cool, guys."

They erupted into a fit of giggles, doubling over as they laughed.

"Okay, okay, but in all seriousness. You guys are _one hundred percent_ in love." Megan said, the other two nodding in agreement.

"Uh, I don't know about that guys. We've only been sleeping together for two weeks, we're not even dating." You said, trying to ignore their glares.

"Y/n, I have _never_ seen you look at someone like that. The only time you took your eyes off of him, was to glare at us." Blake said. You knew in the back of your mind that he was right, but you vehemently denied it.

"I'm not saying I'm opposed to it, I'm just saying that it's too soon to tell." You told them with a slight smirk.

"Well, I can think of one thing you can tell us." Aly said, "You _have_ to tell us how he is in bed."

You thought for a moment, trying to find a way to describe the best sex you'd ever had.

"Mind-blowing." You said shortly with a grin.

-

After you handed your friends over to the US Marshals, you made your way back to the bullpen. When you sat down at your desk, your eyes landed on an unmarked package. Assuming it was case files or something else unimportant, you grabbed a knife and quickly opened the manila package. Pulling out a folder, a confused look set on your face. It was similar to the ones you used at the FBI, but it had no markings.

When you opened it, a shocked scream left your mouth. The whole bullpen was alerted by your noise. Emily and Spencer being the first ones to make it to you, gasps leaving their mouths as well. Aaron quickly made his way to your desk from his office, parting the small crowd as he did so. He also gasped at the file.

There were dozens of photos in the file. There was a picture of you and Aaron dancing in his living room, Toy Story playing on the tv. Another of you picking out lingerie in your closet. Pictures of you and Aaron driving to work. Pictures of you talking to your friends a few hours before. You flipped over the last few, hoping that the team didn't see. They were pictures of Aaron crying in the hospital, Aaron clutching onto your shirt during one of his nightmares last night, and Aaron kissing you in his living room.

"How did she do this?" You asked, flabbergasted at her ability to take so many pictures.

"You told us she's extremely clever, so she's good at hiding in plain sight. We need to update security here, and someone needs to tell Garcia to add more security to the database." Aaron said, placing his hand comfortingly on your shoulder.

You watched Morgan make his way to the batcave, your head spinning.

She was doing exactly what she said she would. You felt exposed, raw.

You felt like you were being watched.

While you were trying not to go into full panic mode, your phone rang. The room fell silent, the team's eyes landing on your phone. There was no caller id, but the number had a 202 area code, so you knew it was local. Aaron held a finger to his lips, signaling to everyone to be quiet. You moved your hand shakily to answer the phone, putting the device on speakerphone so everyone could hear.

"Hello?" You said into the receiver.

The cold tone of Briza Vazquez answered through the phone, _"Y/n, long time no see. Well, you can't see me, but I can see you."_ She said with a laugh.

"What do you want, Briza?" You asked through clenched teeth.

 _"Wo_ _w, nothing y/n? Really? No 'I've missed you'? Well, I'll tell you what I want, if we're going to be like that."_ She scolded you through the phone, your shoulder immediately hunched. You had the same exact reaction to her as you did all those years ago.

 _"If you turn yourself over to me, I won't lay a finger on Pretty Boy's head. Or Bossman's, or the Lady in Red, or Blondie, or Mr. Chocolate Thunder, or anyone. You have twenty-four hours to meet me at that beloved coffee shop of yours, a second past and I think I'll start with Ms. Emily Prentiss. Seeing that you took such a special likening to her in Illinois."_ She growled through the receiver, goosebumps running down your spine.

"Go to hell." You hissed, ending the call.

You quickly excused yourself from the room, walking into the hallway. Aaron's footsteps following closely behind you.

"Y/n, don't even think for a second about going to her." He said, grabbing your waist to turn you around.

"I'm not going to, Aaron. I know she's just trying to get into my head." You reassured him, giving him a quick kiss.

"You promise?" He asked, holding his pinky up to you.

"Promise." You said, wrapping your pinky around his.


	20. Chapter 20

The twenty-four hours after Briza's call were the most uneventful moments of your life. The team worked well into the night, combing through everything they could find on her. Medical records, credit card bills, ATM usage, and cell phone locations didn't tell you much. Her parents and coworkers were brought in, some yielded very important information.

While speaking to her mother, it was revealed that Briza's father was abusive. She had neglected to go to the hospital multiple times, in fear of her father's threats. There were only a few emergency visits in her record, one for a spiral fracture and another for a broken nose. You thanked her mother for her help, but you couldn't allow her to leave. She could possibly tip Briza off, and she'd go dormant.

"Well, now we know why she killed Carter Johnson. She let her rage consume her and took most of it out on him. The rest most likely on Hotch." Spencer said after you relayed the information to the team. You nodded, listening to his words.

_At least some of this isn't my fault._

_Well, I mean you getting abused by Carter got him killed. You got him killed. You got Aaron tortured. What is wrong with you?_

That question kept running through your head, Aaron's low voice being the one to say the words. He didn't think there was anything wrong with you, but you did. Aaron was just the first one to say the words.

The hours bled together as you waited for the twenty-four-hour deadline to approach. You sat at your desk, looking through the files mindlessly, the pictures branded into your brain. Aaron's voice pulled you out of your thoughts, requesting you in his office.

"Y/n, can I see you in my office for a moment?" His voice carried through the mostly empty bullpen. Emily was writing something at her desk, Spencer was reading, Morgan was helping Garcia with some cyber-sleuthing _._

You stood, grabbing your coffee, and walked up to his office. Glancing at the clock it read, _1:27 am._ It had been about nine hours since Briza called.

_He probably just wants to ask how I'm doing. Or maybe he has the answer to that nagging question._

You walked into his office, neglecting to knock. The blinds were closed, the room was dark with the exception of the lamp on his desk. The window that looked out to the street was also covered with blinds. Obviously trying to keep Briza's nose out of his business.

"You wanted to see me, Aaron?" You asked, shutting the door behind you.

"I wanted to ask you a few things about the phone call from yesterday." He said, gesturing to the chair in front of his desk.

"Okay, what do you want to know?" A slight wave of concern washing over you.

"She said something about you and Prentiss in Illinois?" He said, raising his eyebrows.

The wave of concern switched to panic, "I- Uh... somethings may have happened after I left your room in Illinois..." You trailed off, trying to figure out how to explain it to him.

"And what happened?" Aaron asked you, waiting expectantly.

"I left and went down to the bar. She was down there, drinking. We both got pretty drunk, and all I remember is waking up next to her the following morning." You told him, keeping your eyes trained on the floor. "I'm sorry." You mumbled in a small voice.

He let out a sigh as he stood from his chair and walked around his desk. Sitting against the edge, he gently grabbed your face, tilting it upwards to look at him, "You have nothing to be sorry for, y/n. We weren't together at the time."

"Are we together now?" You asked in a meek voice.

"Y/f/n, y/m/n, y/l/n, will you be my girlfriend?" He responded to your question with a question.

You nodded, which caused him to grip your jaw lightly, "Words, little girl. I need words."

"Yes, I will, as long as you'll be my boyfriend." You said, standing up to meet his face.

"Then yes, we are together now." He let your body slide in between his legs, your arms wrapping around his shoulders as you pulled him into a kiss.

"But you're not mad? About me and Emily? Or the fact that I came out to you directly after you were tortured?" You questioned him, wanting to avoid a problem in the future.

"Of course not, otherwise I'd have to be mad at myself for sleeping with her." He said with a smug smile.

"You? And Emily? Really?" Your tone surprised and shocked.

"Yeah, when I worked for her mother, and then again when she started at the BAU. We actually broke things off when you started here." He explained to you, your eyes widening at his words.

"Well then, I might just have to ask her to join us some time..." You trailed off with a smile, slipping out of his grasp. You laughed to yourself as you walked out of his office, your hips swinging slightly.

-

It was _3:57 pm_ , only three minutes till the twenty-four hours were up. To be completely honest, you had thought about giving yourself over, to prevent anyone else from getting hurt. Right at four, your cellphone began to ring. Seeing that the team anticipated her call, Penelope was ready to try and track the call and your phone was set up to a recording device.

Aaron gave you a small nod, and you clicked the answer button, putting the call on speakerphone again.

 _"Shame you didn't call me first, y/n. Otherwise, I wouldn't be so inclined to kill someone."_ Briza's menacing tone wafted through the speaker.

"I'm sorry, who is this?" You asked smugly. Aaron shot you a warning glare.

 _"Very funny, y/n. You always have had that sense of humor. Although, you might not be laughing when I put a bullet in your head."_ She said with a laugh, her words sending a chill down your spine.

"Oh really? _Now_ you want to kill me? I thought this was all about leaving me _terribly_ alone, I thought you wanted to watch me break? Wanted to watch me mourn. Can't do that if you kill me, can you?" You taunted her.

 _"Oh yes, thank you for the reminder. I think I'll put a bullet in someone else's head. Any preferences?"_ Briza asked, you knew that the taunt was genuine.

"We both know that you would risk getting caught. You wouldn't want your game to end, now would you?" At this point, you were just stalling. The longer you talked, the closer Penelope got to her location.

 _"I guess we'll see about that. Just a heads up, someone will be gone within the hour, so I'd get searching."_ She said, ending the call.

You let out an angry sigh, you knew that the call wasn't nearly long enough to find her location. And even if you did, she'd be long gone by the time you got there. She was getting under your skin, and you knew that's what she wanted. Aaron gestured for you to follow him to his office, which you did. The room watched the two of you walk into his office before getting back to work.

You plopped onto his couch with a huff. Aaron closed the door and sat on the table in front of you. His hand reached to tuck your loose hair behind your ear as he spoke.

"She's just trying to get under your skin. Don't let her bother you, she just wants a reaction." Aaron told you, even though he knew you knew that.

"I _know_ Aaron, I'm just tired of this. I want to be able to go out of the house without fear of dying, or having Mister US Marshal follow me to the bathroom." You ranted to him, setting a hand on his knee.

"I think you're forgetting something, y/n." He said matter-of-factly.

"What could I possibly be missing?" You asked him, your tone was meaner than you intended.

"Y/n, you're scared. You haven't slept in thirty-six hours, and you're running on fumes. We're all on edge, but you can't go ten seconds without bouncing your leg or tapping your pen." Aaron stated his hand setting on your knee which was bouncing relentlessly.

"Aaron," You said in a warning voice, "Don't you _dare_ profile me."

"I'm not y/n, I'm just pointing out the fact that you need to accept the fact that you're scared. Once you do that, you can do that, you can focus better. I know it sounds like profiling, but it's not. It's just me, your _boyfriend,_ knowing you, my _girlfriend._ " Aaron said, knowing that he could help distract you from the situation at hand.

"Well, _boyfriend_ , why don't you find a way to change my mind?" You said, pulling his body onto yours.

You knew that you weren't going to do anything, due to his injuries and the fact that there was someone trying to kill you, but a quick make-out session wouldn't hurt anyone.

-

It turns out that a make-out session could hurt someone. An hour after Briza ended the call, two packages arrived at the BAU. It was addressed to Emily, so you assumed that it wouldn't have anything to do with Briza or the case. You were wrong. Again.

Emily opened the flat package, a loud gasp falling from her mouth. You quickly made your way to her desk, looking at the slew of pictures spread out on her desk.

There were pictures of Megan, tied to a chair. A thick piece of cloth was tied around her head, covering her eyes, and a strip of duct tape over her mouth. Her nose was bleeding onto her shirt, and there were bruises covering her face.

Tears immediately started to fall down your face, the rest of the team quickly made their way to Emily's desk, looking at the pictures.

"Emily, what's in the box?" Aaron asked, his hand secured around your waist. At this point, he was practically holding you up, your knees weak from your tears.

Her shaky hand reached to grab the box, pulling the top off the small package. A thick chained necklace sat in the box, a dragon pendant attached to it. The team looked at the jewelry in confusion, but your knees sagged when you saw it. Aaron was quick to catch you, pulling you into his arms.

"Y/n? What is it?" Aaron asked quietly, shooing the team away slightly.

"It's Megan's necklace. I gave it to her in our senior year of high school, and she hasn't taken it off since. She has her Aaron." You told him, choking back tears as you did.

"Y/n, I need you to look at me. We are _going_ to find her. I need you to stay strong, we won't let her hurt Megan." He said, cupping your face strongly.

"Okay." You said meekly, peeling yourself out of his arms, "Can you just give me a moment alone?"

He looked apprehensive, but he nodded.

You walked out to the hallway, waiting a few moments. You emptied your pockets, keeping only your keys. A pile of stuff sat on a bench; your gun and holster, badge, wallet, and phone. Without another thought, you glanced behind you, checking to see if someone was watching you. Confirming that you were alone in the hallway, you quickly made your way to the stairwell.

You sprinted down the stairs, trying to reach the garage before someone realized you were gone. You knew that there was no other way to finish this than to turn yourself over.

_Just give her what she wants, and all this will stop. Aaron and Emily, they'll move on quickly. They have each other. No one else will die. Not if I can stop it with a simple action._

Once you were in the safety of your car, you started to drive to the coffee house Briza mentioned. You pulled a burner phone out of your glove box, dialing the number she used, having memorized it for this occasion. Hearing the line click, you spoke before she did.

"Alright, Briza. I'm giving you what you want. I'll be at the coffee shop in ten minutes." You said shortly, trying to ignore the stupidity of your actions.

_No one will die._

_"Y/n! I'm glad you've come to your senses. How do I know this isn't a trap though?"_ Her tone was skeptical.

"You can strip search me if you have to, I'm doing this so no one else gets hurt." You told her through clenched teeth.

 _"Trying to get naked already, y/n? Well for now I trust you. When you get to the coffee shop, find the black Ford Fusion. The key is in the cup holder, and your new location is already programmed into the GPS. I'll see you in half an hour. And, if I see anyone following or any deviations to the route, I'll blow Megan's pretty head off."_ Briza said, cutting the line off before you could respond.

When you got to the coffee shop, you quickly spotted the car sitting on the edge of the parking lot. Climbing in, you found the key exactly where she said and started the car. The GPS lit up, your route highlighted in blue. You drove the speed limit, not wanting to get pulled over on your way to die.

The only thing you could think was, ' _I'm sorry Aaron',_ the words playing on an endless loop in your mind. You couldn't call him to tell him, and you couldn't turn around now. You just kept driving. Despite the heat on high, you felt cold. The closer you got, the emptier you felt. You felt like you were driving into the abyss like you were delivering yourself to your own death.

The blue line on your screen ended at an old house, the windows and doors boarded up. Stepping out of the car, you saw Briza walk around the side of the house, hold a pistol in one hand, a long sharp knife in the other.

"Hands up, y/n, let's get that strip search going!" She yelled at you from a distance with a laugh.

The cold air had your skin covered with goosebumps, but you weren't even aware of the temperature as you pulled your clothes off. Your jacket and pants went first, then your shirt and shoes. You turned slowly, letting her see that you had no wire, camera, or weapons.

"Nice try, y/n. Everything off." Briza brandished the gun, slightly.

You hesitated for a moment, before bending down to pull your socks off. Next, you unclipped your bra, letting it fall on the frozen ground. Lastly, you pulled your underwear down to your ankles, stepping out of the garment.

She walked over to you, her eyes raking up and down your body. You wanted nothing more than to cover yourself up, cross your arms over your chest, anything. However, she would see this as a sign of weakness, so you didn't move.

Once she was standing right in front of you, she moved her knife to set on your stomach. She pressed the flat side of the cold metal against your abdomen, smirking at your gasp. The knife moved up to your breast, the tip slicing a deep cut into your flesh.

Deciding that she was done with the knife play, she holstered her knife and gun, grabbing the duck tape off her wrist. She roughly turned you around, taping your hands together. She pulled a collar out of her pocket, locking it around your neck and placing a leash onto the small O ring. Her hand pressed into your back, shoving you forwards.

"Walk, whore." She muttered, watching you stumble.

She dragged you by the neck to the back of the house, pulling you up the splintery steps and into the building.

You could barely see, due to the lack of light, but your eyes quickly adjusted. You glanced around, looking for where she was keeping Megan. When you stopped walking, she yanked the leash roughly, pulling you towards a room.

"Let's go, bitch." Not holding back on the degradation.

There was a single chair in the center of the room, a large floodlight pointed directly at it. She pushed you into the chair, tying your ankles to the legs.

"Where is Megan?" You spat at her.

"Oh, sweetie," She said, caressing your face, "She's not here. She never was."

Your heart dropped to your stomach and your breath stopped.

 _You fucking dumbass, she baited you like a fish. She was never here. Geeze, what is wrong with you? You can't even see through her games?_ Your thoughts were angry, but your face stayed passive.

"Now, what to do.. what to do.." Briza said, walking back and forth slowly, "What do you say about giving that _boyfriend_ of yours a call? You guys made it official today right?" She asked, pulling her phone out.

"Tell me his number, and I won't kill you." She said with a smile.

You told her the number, fighting the waver in your voice.

"You try and give our location away, and I'll kill you. How about we stick with the usual, you say how sorry you are and how you love him and I don't put a bullet between your eyes." She suggested, her tone sickeningly sweet.

"How does that sound, _little girl_?" The sound of your nickname in her mouth left a bad taste in yours.

You felt your head nod as she pressed the call button. You listened to the phone ring, and ring, and ring. Eventually, the phone went to voicemail.

 _"You've reached SSA Aaron Hotchner at the BAU, leave a message and I'll get back to you as soon as possible."_ Aaron's warm voice rang through the room.

Briza nodded at you, and you immediately started to sprout words. She just listened and after a while, she cut you off.

"I think that's enough..." She spoke into the phone.

You didn't hear a word she said after that, your mind was solely on Aaron.

_I fucked up._


	21. Chapter 21

_Aaron's POV_

I watched y/n walk into the hallway, a pit forming in my stomach. I could tell how scared she was, and how badly she wanted to fix this.

_Just give her a minute, Aaron. She just needs a second to breathe._

"Prentiss, get all of that up to the lab. Morgan, have Garcia check the cameras. She may have sent someone else to deliver those packages." I had to keep an even head, "Dave, we need to go through whatever history y/n had with Briza."

Rossi nodded at my words, "I want you to do a cognitive with her." I said shortly, turning on my heel to join y/n in the hall.

Pushing the doors open, I scanned the completely empty hallway. I figured she was just in the bathroom, so I walked over to one of the benches to wait. Someone had left a pile of stuff on one of the benches.

_Geeze, can't people just throw away their garbage._

I brushed the pile further to the edge, still not paying attention to the contents. When my hand hit the cold metal of a gun, I finally examined the objects sitting on the bench.

A gun and holster, a wallet that look familiar, a phone I recognized, and an FBI badge.

_Who would leave all their gear just sitting on a bench? That's so irresponsible._

Flipping the credentials open, I finally connected the dots that I was subconsciously trying hard to ignore. Y/n's face was staring at me from her discarded badge. Frantically grabbing the wallet, her driver's license was looking at me as well. The phone lit up with a notification from Garcia, asking why her car was leaving the base. I felt a lump form in my throat as I stood up from the bench.

Scooping up y/n items, I rushed to Garcia's office, quickly swiping my card on the ID scanner.

"Garcia, I need you to track y/n's car." Heard myself say. It felt like I was having an out of body experience, like I was floating above my physical form, watching everything in slow motion.

"Okay, she just left the base in quite the hurry," Penelope told me, pulling up the GPS system for all our work-issued cars.

"It looks like she just parked at a coffee shop a few miles away," Garcia said, showing me the screen.

"Pull up any traffic cameras there, I want to see what's happening," I told her, watching her type quickly on her keyboard.

"What's going on, Sir? What's wrong?" Penelope asked me, a scared look on her face.

"I found a pile of her stuff on a bench, her badge, gun, and phone were just sitting in a pile," I said quickly, watching her pull up the camera feeds.

I saw y/n's car parked at the small café, y/n stepping out of her car. She glanced around the parking lot, before spotting a car at the edge of the lot. Her steps were quick as she approached the car, her body language giving away how unsure she was. I watched her start the car and drive off the camera feed.

"Garcia, can we follow her with traffic cameras?" I asked quickly, feeling fear shoot through my body.

"We can try, but I don't think Briza will keep her on main roads," Garcia said with a sad tone.

She was right, after watching the car drive through a few lights, y/n finally passed the last street camera.

She was gone.

I made my way to the bullpen, hearing Morgan and Garcia following closely behind. When I walked through the glass doors, four agents sitting in the briefing room snapped their heads to look at me. They quickly made their way out onto the catwalk, asking what was wrong.

"Y/n's gone. She dumped all her things and left. She's going after Briza on her own." I said, my chest tightening at the words.

"Are you sure?" Rossi asked me, his face skeptical.

"I'm sure, she left her gun, badge, and phone, and went to the coffee shop that Briza mentioned. She got into a different car, and drove south, straight out of town." I explained it to the team.

"I don't want to be the person to suggest this, but how can we be sure that she didn't leave to protect us. We all know she'd do that in a heartbeat." Emily said, walking down to her desk.

"Just have a bad feeling, her shoulders were tense and her steps were stiff. She's in danger, and we're the only people who can save her." I said, starting to walk towards the conference room.

As I was passing Rossi, I heard his phone ring, stopping me in my tracks. He picked up the phone, talking quickly to someone on the other line.

"Megan Parmeter was never abducted, her Marshal is with her right now," Rossi told him, putting his phone away.

Briza had drawn y/n right into her trap, and if I hadn't been so stupid she'd be here right now. Safe.

I walked into the conference room, sitting down at the table and pulling a file towards me. A shred of hope popped into my head as I realized we hadn't checked real estate for Briza and her family. I told Garcia to check any land, south of DC, that Briza would have access to. I reached down to my pocket for my phone, realizing that I had left it in my office. I excused myself to grab it real quick, letting out a stressed breath as I made my way to my office. My phone was sitting on my desk, right where I had left it.

Grabbing the phone, I checked for any missed notifications.

_1 Voicemail: Unknown Number_

I clicked on the voicemail, holding the phone up to my ear to listen. The voice of y/n carried through the phone, my eyes welling with tears.

 _"Aaron?"_ Her voice cracked _"I- I did something stupid. I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have left you, things were starting to get good. I guess I was scared that things would go south, and I didn't want anyone else to get hurt. P- Please tell my mom and dad that I love them. A-And Aaron, I can't say it, not like this, but you know. You know how I feel, you know that I-"_

 _"I think that's enough,"_ The cold tone of Briza Vazquez cut off y/n's words, _"You'll never find your little girl."_

The voicemail ended, a dial tone playing into my ear. My chest felt tight, and there were drops of tears rolling down my face. I tried to process everything that y/n said.

I walked out of my office, wiping my tears on my sleeve before doing so.

"I just got a voicemail from y/n," I said, trying to keep my voice passive and my face unchanged.

The team looked at me expectantly, waiting for me to play the voicemail. I watched the teams' faces fall as I replayed the recording. Emily's hand found Reid's under the table, tears rolling down both their faces. Morgan had his hands curled into fists, nails digging crescents into his palm.

The recording stopped, the room filling with tense silence.

-

_Your POV_

Briza had left the room for a bit, rummaging around somewhere else in the house. You heard the squeak of wheels approaching the room, a large table with monitors spread across it entering the room. Live images inside the BAU, inside Aaron's house, Emily's apartment, and Spencer's apartment. You could see live footage of Derek's dog, Clooney, lounging on Derek's couch.

You had to fight to keep your reaction internal, if she got any reaction, she would see it as a weakness.

She has a camera feed coming from everywhere, your eyes flitting from screen to screen. Aaron. Spencer. Emily. Derek. David. Penelope. JJ. Megan. Aly. Blake. 

Everyone.

Briza clicked all the screen off, keeping the one in the center on. A video popped up of you, on your knees, Aaron's hips thrusting into your face.

"Oh, I remember that day, don't you?" Briza asked with a laugh.

She clicked to another video. You washing plates in Aaron's kitchen, his hand down your pants, and your head was thrown back on his shoulder.

"That one is fun, isn't it, _pet_?" She used the exact nickname he had used that day.

*Click* You strapped down to Aaron's bed by each limb, Aaron holding a vibrator against your core. You could hear your moans coming through the speaker.

*Click* Aaron bending you over his desk, slapping his hand against your ass, the loud smacks ringing through the almost empty room.

*Click* You and Aaron, in his bathtub. His hand in between your legs, the water sloshing slightly.

*Click* Aaron's hips thrusting against your ass, you moaning. You felt your face go red when you heard what you were saying _"Please, please, please, Daddy! I want to cum around your huge cock! I want to show you how good you make me feel!_

Briza paused the video for a moment, " _I want to cum around your huge cock! Oh, Daddy, please!"_ She mocked you.

She pulled up one final video, your jaw-dropping slightly when you realized what she was playing.

 _"How could you love him? You can barely look at me when I say those words, but he can say them after decking you and you'll say them right back. God, y/n, what's wrong with you?"_ Aaron's meantone filled your ears, your heartbreaking as you heard him ask those words again.

Your composure slipped, a tear sliding down your face when you heard him ask that awful question.

"See, y/n. This is the _real_ man you think you love. He hurt you, but yet you still try to love him." Briza scolded you, what you hated was that there was truth in her words.

You didn't respond, knowing that she'd use anything you say against you. She didn't appreciate the silence, picking up her knife again.

She straddled her legs over yours, her knife secure in her hand, "Do not squirm, or this won't come out very pretty. And don't scream, or I'll kill you."

You felt the tip of her knife dig into the skin directly under your collarbone, a long straight line being cut into your flesh. You bit your lip, trying to gate the scream you wanted to let out. She continued with her movements, carving something into your chest like she had done to Aaron.

When she was done, she stood up and grabbed a mirror off the table. She held it up for you to examine her markings. Aaron's initials were sliced into your skin, your blood dripping down your breasts and to your stomach.

"That's the pain he caused you, y/n."

You watched yourself in the mirror as another tear rolled down your face, dripping onto your chest and mixing with the blood.

She set the knife down, picking up a ball gag. She attached the gag to your head, pressing it deep into your mouth. Her next movement was calculated and strong, a punch placed into your abdomen, your scream muffled by the gag in your mouth. Her next strike was to your face, hitting your cheekbone. Another scream was smothered by the large gag in your mouth.

Briza continued to lay into you, punching and slapping you until you couldn't feel a thing. She picked up the knife again, slicing deep cuts into your abdomen.

"You look so pretty like this, y/n, Smile, for Aaron," Briza told you, the sound of a camera shutter filling the room, "I think he'll like this." She said as she sent the picture to him.

"I think I'd like to watch him break, to watch him disintegrate into madness." She told you.

"And it'll be all _your_ fault." Her words ringing in your ears and she delivered another bruising blow to your abdomen, the pain knocking you out.


	22. Chapter 22

_Aaron's POV_

The recording stopped, the room filling with tense silence. No one said anything, the only noise being sniffles from Emily and Spencer.

"I know that we're all scared for y/n, but we need to keep working on the case," Rossi said after a moment. I nodded in agreement, sitting down at the roundtable.

I could practically see a lightbulb turn on in Reid's head as he stood up from the table, grabbing a dry erase marker. We all watched in silence as he wrote out the message y/n said over the phone.

**Aaron? I did something stupid. I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have left you, things were starting to get good. I guess I was scared that things would go south, and I didn't want anyone else to get hurt. Please tell my mom and dad that I love them. And Aaron, I can't say it, not like this, but you know. You know how I feel, you know that I-**

"Hotch, can you play the message again?" Spencer asked, I obliged immediately. He underlined only two words in the passage as the voicemail played.

**Aaron? I did something stupid. I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have left you, things were starting to get good. I guess I was scared that things would go** ** south ** **, and I didn't want anyone else to get hurt. Please tell my** ** mom ** **and dad that I love them. And Aaron, I can't say it, not like this, but you know. You know how I feel, you know that I-**

The words seemed insignificant until I realized that those were the words that her voice changed on.

"We already know that she went south, so we know why she put stress on the word south. As for the word 'mom', I can assume that the location would have belonged to Briza's mother, and y/n has probably been there before." Reid's words were quick and rushed.

"Garcia, did you come up with any properties owned by Briza's mother in your search?" I asked, turning to face Penelope.

"Yes, I found five locations that are within the time it took for her to drive from the coffee shop to when she called you." She told the team, bringing up a map on the screen.

"Well, you can get rid of the top two, they're north of the coffee shop. That leaves three properties, JJ and Reid I want you to go to the first, Rossi and Morgan to the second, and Prentiss and I will go to the last." The team nodded, jumping to action.

"Addresses have been sent to your phones, go get our girl!" Penelope yelled to the team as they left.

Once in the garage, I stepped into the driver's seat, ignoring y/n's words from earlier.

_"You cannot go in the field, no matter what. Not until you are cleared, physically and mentally."_

I would heed to her words, but seeing that she was in mortal danger, I decided that I was going into the field. Once Emily was seated next to me, I quickly made my way to the location Garcia had sent me. It would take about an hour, and it would be dark by then, the sun was already setting.

The drive was tense, a few words said here or there. Emily made a comment about the sunset, which I nodded to. I couldn't let my concentration slip, I couldn't let her get hurt. My knuckles shone white from my deadly grip on the wheel, but I paid it no attention.

I slammed on the breaks, the wheels screeching to a halt in front of a house. I had estimated right, it took an hour to get here. The house was two stories, and the windows and doors had been boarded up. There was no sign of the black car that y/n was in, but Briza could have easily moved it.

Prentiss went around the back, and I stayed in the front. I counted down quietly over the coms, our feet kicking down the doors at the same time. We made our way around the house, checking every room and closet. Then, I lead the pair of us up the stairs to check the second level. I heard Emily say 'clear' from the other room, which I seconded.

_She's not here._

"They're not here, Hotch," Emily said, watching me pull my phone out. I dialed Rossi, him, and Morgan having the same results.

I hesitantly dialed Spencer, worried that we were going to be wrong. Spencer answered quickly, relaying the same information as Rossi.

My hand ran fervently through my hair for the umpteenth time today. We hit a dead end, and it feels like Briza planned for us to find these properties. Right as I was about to make my way back to the car, I felt my phone buzz in my pocket. I looked at the notification and saw that it was an image sent by an unknown number. I tentatively opened the message, my legs buckling at the sight. I felt my knees contact the cold ground as tears filled my eyes.

Y/n was strapped to a chair in a dark room. There was a bright red ball gag sitting in her mouth, tears streaming down her face. Her body was completely naked, covered with goosebumps. A thin leather collar was tight around her neck, a leash hanging from the O ring on the collar. Her abdomen and breasts were covered in cuts, and three letters were carved under her collarbone.

_A.C.H_

Briza had carved _my_ initials into her skin, the same way she did with me on my hip with y/n's initials.

I could hear Emily's muffled voice, my mind trying to block out everything. Once I pulled out of my trance, I saw that she was knelt in front of my limp body, trying to get me to speak.

"Hotch? Hotch? _Aaron?"_ Her use of my first name finally pulled me out of my thoughts, "You need to talk to me, what happened."

I didn't answer, I just turned my phone around to show her the image. Emily's eyes welled with tears, her mouth gaping slightly as she tried to think of what to say. Her reaction brought more tears to my eyes, my shoulders sagging.

Emily reached out to grab me, her hands landing on my side and on my face. It had been a long time since I'd had _any_ physical touch with her, and it was oddly welcomed. My hand found her face and hip and pulled her into a crushing hug, I just wanted the comfort. I would never betray y/n. Never

"W-we need to get back to the base." She said, shakily standing up from her position. "The team needs to see this picture."

Emily offered me her hand, which I reluctantly took. I watched as she got into the driver's seat, forcing me to sit in the passenger seat.

By the time we got back to Quantico, it was _8 pm._ When we showed the team the photos, they all had similar reactions to Emily and me.At some point, JJ had ordered some Chinese food, which everyone picked at for a while. I didn't touch anything, my appetite being completely taken away from today's events.

_It's been three hours since she left, but it feels like she's been gone way longer. I want to hold her and tell her everything is going to be fine. I just want her back, goddammit._

Rossi forced me to go home around ten, to 'get some rest', like I would be able to get any sleep knowing that y/n wasn't safe.

I felt numb. I don't remember the drive home, just getting into my car and getting out.

I felt empty. I felt restless. I just felt useless, like I couldn't help her. I have all the resources in the world at my disposal, but there's nothing I can do.

The whole night, I tossed and turned. Eventually, I ended up sitting on my couch, watching a random movie. The screen lit up the dim room, shadows bouncing around the room till sunrise.

-

_Your POV_

When you woke up again, the ball gag had been removed from your mouth. Your head was hanging over your chest, your neck stiff and sore. There were little beams of light shining through the cracks in the boarded windows. When you shifted slightly, pain radiated from your abdomen, the bruises and cuts flashing angrily with white-hot pain.

Briza wasn't in the room, but she had left her security camera feeds up on the screens. I could see Aaron, at home, pacing around his living room. He looked like he hadn't slept in days, his hair disheveled and his eyes tired. You wanted to yell through the screen to him. You wanted to apologize. Obviously, you wanted to tell him where you were. You just wanted him.

You wanted to cry when you watched him leave his house, your nerves spiking till you saw him enter the BAU fifteen minutes later. You watched the team stand around the naked picture of you on the monitor, Spencer pointing at your hand and neck. You felt more exposed watching them look at your naked picture than you did at the moment.

The sound of Briza's approaching footsteps warned you to wipe any expression off your face. It was hard, the searing pain from your body made you want to cry with every breath.

"Look who's awake, how'd you sleep?" Briza asked you, acting like she hadn't knocked you out the night before. You didn't respond, not even bothering to move your eyes from the live feed of the BAU.

"If you find that interesting, you should see what you missed while you were out." She said, bringing up another video on the monitor.

You watched Aaron pull his phone out of his pocket, standing outside of an abandoned house. His knees buckled and he fell to the ground, the clear image of my naked form able to be seen through the lens. You watched tears roll down his face, and Emily quickly made her way over to him. She knelt down in front of him, asking what was wrong. He showed her the picture, eliciting a shocked reaction from her.

What happened next shocked you to your core. His body sagged, and she reached forward to catch him. Her delicate hand caught his face, the other on his side. I could tell that he wasn't going to pull away, his head actually leaning into her touch. I felt tears well in my eyes as I watched him grab her face and pull her into a hug.

_It's just a hug, y/n, don't get worked up._

_Yes, but they used to be together. He obviously still has feelings for her, and will probably leave me for her._

The video clicked off after I watched Emily offer him her hand, and the pair get into their SUV.

Briza brought the live feed of the BAU back up, and you felt the dam break. Hotch was standing with Prentiss on the catwalk in an empty bullpen, his hand was on her shoulder, tears streaming down her face. You watched as he brought her in for another hug, his hand sliding up her back. Prentiss raised onto her toes, pushing herself further into his arms. His right hand moved slightly on her lower back, his fingertips slipping under her shirt slightly.

You felt the glass walls around your heart threaten to shatter as you watched the scene unfold. A big crack formed when his hand pressed firmly on her lower back, his hand pressed fully against her bareback. The walls fractured as you watched his lips graze hers, the shards pressing into your heart, deep. The screen went dark soon after their lips touched, your reflection shining at you in the black monitor.

It felt like the end was nearing, your only lifeline had moved on in a matter of hours. You had been fighting for hours on end, and you were tired.

You didn't even notice Briza grab her knife again until she started to speak.

"You see, he's moved on. It's only been _fifteen_ hours and he's gone back to _Ms. Ex-Girlfriend_." She said, twirling her knife in her hand.

Briza moved so fast, you didn't even register what was happening until it did.

" _This_ is the pain he caused you!" She yelled, plunging the knife deep into your abdomen.

You cried out in agony at the white-hot sting of her knife pressed into your skin. Her arm pulled it out, slowly and meticulously.

After a few minutes, you passed out again, this time from lack of blood. You were running out of time, and you had just lost the will to keep up your fight.


	23. Chapter 23

_Aaron's POV_

I let my thoughts get the best of me when Emily walked away from me on the catwalk.

The image of y/n tied up to that chair was burned into my eyes. Every time I closed my eyes, the image stared at me, her helpless naked body covered in blood.

I had been at work since eight, it's been fifteen hours since y/n left. Every bone in my body was desperate to find her, and every nerve was tired. I would never give up on her, and I would never stop looking for her.

When I pulled out of my thoughts, I realized that the bullpen was filled with agents. It had been desolate the past couple of days, so the change in pace was welcomed.

"Aaron, we need to get back to work." I heard Dave say, my feet responding by following him into the briefing room. The clock on the wall read _11:52 am._ It's been _nineteen_ hours since I last saw y/n in person.

"We're missing something, Briza has left clues before, and y/n knows how to get information into a message," Spencer said, seeing that I had entered the room.

"She only stressed two words, we knew she was going south so that one isn't helpful. The only other word was 'mom'. It wasn't any property owned by either of Briza's parents. I can't think of anything else we missed." I said through clenched teeth. My fingertips were subconsciously rubbing together, a habit I formed in college due to stress.

Spencer looked defeated, his shoulders sagging and head hanging. He sat down at the table with a huff.

"What could we be missing?" Morgan asked with a sigh, he pushed his chair away from the table. "We know that where they are don't belong to Briza, what if it belonged to y/n? It could be _y/n's_ mom's property."

"Garcia," I said shortly.

"On it." She responded, opening her laptop quickly.

The room filled with the sounds of Penelope's fervent typing. The anxiety in the room was palpable, the strings of tension almost visible.

"Okay, okay. I have two properties south of DC. One is a cabin, but I don't think that's it. It's in good condition, and it's got, close neighbors. The other is a two-story, abandoned house. It hasn't had residents for years. There's not really anything around it." She told the team, looking around to see if they agree with her assessment.

"That's it, Garcia. You got it, send us the address." I said, leading the team out of the briefing room.

I wasn't feeling very relieved, the last time we found locations, we were sadly mistaken. I drove the first car, Prentiss and Rossi joining me. Morgan drove JJ and Reid. We didn't waste any time, I turned my sirens on and stomped on the gas, Morgan following in the same matter. The drive there would take an hour and a half, going over the speed limit.

Dave and Emily didn't attempt to talk, their nervousness filling the car, joining mine. My left leg bounced under the wheel, my hands gripping the wheel tightly. Emily was picking at her nails, pulling the skin off around her fingernail. Dave just sat, his anxious gaze set firmly out the window.

I heard Emily's phone ring in the distance, and she picked it up, but I couldn't hear.

The muffled noises of Emily talking on the phone could be heard under the loud ringing in my ears. I tried to listen, but I couldn't take my focus off of y/n.

"Aaron? You in there?" Emily asked her hand settling on my forearm lightly.

"Oh, sorry. Yeah, what did Garcia want?" I responded to her, watching her hand retract from my arm.

"She said that there's a car that's the exact same model at the house, she can see it on satellite imaging." She told me, letting out a relieved sigh.

"We just have to hope that she's still there, and Briza didn't alread-" I stopped myself from finishing my sentence.

The car fell silent again, my leg picking its pace back up. I caught my fingertips rubbing together again, that damn habit.

When we were a few miles out, I turned off the sirens, not wanting to alert Briza to our arrival. Catching her off guard would be our best way of keeping y/n alive.

I saw the house off in the distance, my hope sparking a bit. I could see the black car that y/n had driven and a pile of her clothes on the ground.

"Someone call medics, let them know that we need them here," I said, hearing Dave pull his phone out and call.

My breaks slammed as I pulled up to the house. I pulled my gun out of its holster as I stepped out of the car.

I gave instructions, sending Morgan, JJ, and Dave to the back of the house. Emily, Spencer, and I stayed in the front, waiting for them to get in position.

I moved my head to speak clearly into the mic, counting down to the breech. On one, Emily and Morgan slammed their feet into the doors, kicking them in. Briza was ready, holding a gun out in front of her chest, the barrel aimed at my head.

She wasn't aware of Morgan behind her until he pushed the gun up away from my head and slammed her to the ground. He quickly cuffed her, pulling her up from the ground forcefully. She was still wearing a smug smile, I let out a small breath I didn't know I was holding.

Putting my head back into the game, I started to clear rooms, trying to locate y/n.

When I finally did, I felt a sob fall from my mouth as I rushed over to her side.

"She's in here!" I yelled to the team through tears, hearing their approaching footsteps.

I pulled a knife from my pocket, sawing through the rope on her ankles and the tape around her wrists. I carefully removed the collar around her neck. She had a deep stab wound in her abdomen, the blood from the cut covering her thighs and legs. With a shaky hand, I checked her pulse. Her skin was cold and damp, and she didn't react to my touch, but she had a very faint heartbeat. I picked her up from the chair, carrying her out to meet the medics.

Her fingers on her right hand were broken, bent in the wrong direction. Her toes were bruised and broken on her left foot, Briza most likely had stomped on them. I gently laid her down on the gurney, letting my hand find her left hand.

They attached electrodes to her skin, and her faint pulse beeped on the monitor as we sped to the hospital. I watched her face as they worked around me, pushing gauze into her wound. My tears dripped onto our hands, listening to her heartbeat slow down again.

When she flatlined, I was forced to drop her hand. They shocked her twice before her heart started beating again. My tears fell more forcefully on my face.

She had died.

But, they got her back.

When we finally made it to the hospital, they unloaded her gurney, rushing her into the ER. A nurse grabbed me, stopping me from following her.

"Sir, are you hurt?" He asked me. When I looked down, I realized that I was covered in y/n's blood.

"I- uh. No, this isn't my blood." I told him, the feeling of her sticky blook on my hands making my stomach churn.

"We have scrubs you can change into, you can get cleaned up." He said, gesturing for me to follow him.

I quickly changed into the light blue scrubs, texting Rossi to bring my go-bag to the hospital.

After two hours of sitting anxiously alone in the waiting room, the rest of the team showed up at the hospital. They brought my go-bag and a cup of coffee, which I accepted graciously. They asked if I had any updates on y/n's progress or condition, and I, unfortunately, didn't.

Every few minutes I would run my hand through my already disheveled hair and let out a nervous sigh. I hated waiting rooms, they always have an eerie feeling and they never end with good news.

The clicking of Penelope's heels alerted me to her arrival, her hands full of more coffee. I took one, taking small sips from the cup. Despite the cup of coffee I had, my eyes started to droop. I quickly downed the rest of the cup Garcia gave me, sitting down in a chair next to Emily.

My leg was bouncing relentlessly, my nerves getting the better of me. The feeling of Emily's hand on my knee pulled me from my seemingly endless spiral, her touch grounded me slightly. I let my shoulders sag and my head drop, I just wanted to get y/n back.

Five hours after y/n and I arrived at the hospital, we got the first update. A nurse came out to let us know that the stab wound didn't hit any major arteries or organs and that they still had a few hours to go. They predicted that she would pull through, which gave the team a little more relief.

At 10 pm _,_ eight hours after y/n went into surgery, another doctor came out to speak to the team.

"She lost a lot of blood, and her injuries are pretty extensive, but she made it through. It took a while for her temperature to come back up, but we got it up." The lead surgeon told the team, "The blood-loss could affect her brain, but we won't know until she wakes up. It could be a while till she wakes up, the torture and loss of blood were extremely hard on her body. I'm guessing tomorrow at the most."

"Can we see her?" Emily asked, standing from her chair.

The surgeon looked at the number of people in the waiting room apprehensively, "I can let two at a time, she's still recovering." Emily and I took a step forward, being the closest people to y/n, "I will warn you that if she does wake up, she could be confused or scared. You need to alert someone immediately if she wakes up." The surgeon told me and Emily as we followed him to y/n's room.

I hesitantly walked into the room, the person on the bed barely recognizable as y/n. There were tubes and wires covering her body, warming blankets covering her body. A small tube was coming from her mouth, connected to a ventilator. She couldn't even breathe on her own. Her right hand and left foot covered with a soft cast, the toes and fingers healing slowly.

Tentatively, I sat in the chair next to the bed, grabbing her left hand in mine again. Emily took a seat on the other side, brushing the hair off her face. The doctor didn't say if she'd be able to hear us, but we talked to her anyway.

"We're here, y/n. We've got you." Emily spoke in a whisper.

"You have to be alright, I love you so much," I said through heavy tears, pressing the back of her hand to my lips.

"You have to be alright, you _have_ to _,"_ I repeated the mantra until I fell asleep by her side.

-

The next morning, the team returned. They found me and Emily sleeping on opposite sides of y/n's bed, her hand enclosed in mine. Y/n hadn't stirred all night, not even a twitch from her hand. The team sat with her, while Emily and I stretched our legs and got coffee.

We were only left for a few minutes, not wanting to be gone if y/n woke up. When we returned, nothing had changed, y/n's seemingly lifeless body sat limply on the bed. Penelope had quiet tears dripping down her face, and an assortment of trinkets spread throughout the room. I sat back down in the same chair, my fingers lacing with y/n's again.

The team stayed for a while, but they eventually left. Before Rossi did, he tried to get me to go home for an hour or two.

"Aaron, you look like hell. Go home, take a shower. Get some fresh clothes, grab some for y/n too and come back. I'll stay here and keep her company." Dave tried to get me to leave, but I protested

"I'm not leaving her side, Dave, I can't," I told him, plopping back down in my chair.

With a sigh, Rossi left. Soon after, Emily followed, she was going to shower and spend the night at her apartment and come back in the morning.

I slept at y/n's side again, my head resting on the bed.

-

The third day, the only eventful thing that happened was y/n's hand twitching in mine. It did it only once, at around noon, but never moved again.

The doctor explained that it was probably _just_ a twitch, and y/n wasn't awake. The whole day I spent alone with her, holding her hand and telling her how much I loved her.

"I'm so sorry that this happened to you. I love you so much, and I will never let anyone hurt you ever again."

After I apologized, I just talked about anything. I told her how excited I was to see Jack again. Told her that her friends had called and were going to try and come see her. By the end of the night, my voice was hoarse from talking.

I fell asleep again, this time on the stiff couch in her room next to the bed.


	24. Chapter 24

_Your POV_

You woke up only for a few moments, you couldn't feel anything. The blood loss was making your vision blurry and you couldn't feel Briza's stomps on your toes, but you could hear the snaps of your bones. Her hand wrapped around your fingers, bending till they broke. You couldn't feel them either. After a minute, your eyes closed again.

-

When you woke up again, you couldn't open your eyes and your hearing was muffled. Your limbs felt fuzzy, there were muted touches on your ankles and wrists. You felt the collar around your neck release, and your body lifts limply from the chair. You were put on something soft and felt something being stuck on your skin.

You couldn't identify anything you heard. Suddenly everything started to go cold. Everything went dark, and you couldn't feel or hear anything. You were just surrounded by darkness.

When the darkness lightened, you could feel something wrapped around your hand.

Another hand.

Oh god, what is Briza doing now? She already broke my fingers on my other hand. You thought, before slipping back to unconsciousness.

-

When you came to again. You knew that you were in a different location. The smell of lemon and cleaning supplies filled your nose. There were tubes and wires on your body, and a small tube in your mouth and throat. Your eyes wouldn't open, the muscles ignoring your attempts to do so. You could hear sniffles near you, a hand still wrapped around yours.

A part of you hoped that it was Aaron and that you were safe. And the other part worried that you had disassociated, and Briza was inflicting you a lot more pain than she already had.

"We're here, y/n. We've got you." Emily said in a whisper

"You have to be alright. I love you so much." Aaron said, his voice shaking with tears.

Your body filled with rage, the thought of them comforting you, together. You wanted to pull your hand away from Aaron, tell him to leave, but none of your muscles worked. You couldn't even open your eyes.

Sleep soon overtook you again.

-

When you woke up again, your eyes failed you yet again. They wouldn't open, no matter how hard you tried.

"Aaron, you look like hell. Go home, take a shower. Get some fresh clothes, grab some for y/n too, and come back. I'll stay here and keep her company." You identified the voice as Rossi listening intently for Aaron's response.

"I'm not leaving her side, Dave. I can't." Aaron said shortly, and you heard his footsteps approach the bed again.

Exhaustion from trying to keep up with the conversation overcame you, and you fell asleep again.

-

The next time you woke up, your eyes still refused to open. The tube was still in your mouth, and there were now hard masses around one of your hands and one of your feet. It took a moment to realize that Aaron was speaking.

"I can't wait to see Jack. I haven't left the hospital since you got here. I thought about bringing him here, but I didn't want to scare him. He's so excited to be out of WITSEC, he already has plans with his friends." Aaron told you with a slight laugh, and you could hear the adoration in his voice.

This time, you welcome sleep. If you could move your face, you would have a smile.

-

The next time you woke up, it was because you were coughing into the tube in your mouth. You still couldn't open your eyes, so when you felt hands on your body, you started to panic. Instead of the thrashing panic, you went with the silent and deadly approach. Your breath tried to pick up, but the ventilator wouldn't let you. The heart monitor next to you started beeping louder.

When the tube was pulled from your mouth, and the hands left your body, you started to calm down.

"Y/n?" You heard Aaron ask, "Can you hear me? Can you open your eyes for me?"

You hesitantly obliged, forcing your eyelids to parts. The blinds were drawn and the lights were off, due to the fact that you would be extremely light sensitive.

It was still very bright in the room, but you managed to pry your eyes open. You could see Aaron blurry form in front of you and Emily standing next to you. They were the last two people you wanted to see, but it was better than Briza.

"Aaron?" You asked, your voice hoarse and weak.

"I'm here, I'm right here, y/n. What do you need?" He asked, moving slightly towards your hand.

Instinctually, you pulled it away. Not because you had just been tortured for twenty hours straight, but because he betrayed your trust. Him kissing Emily felt like him giving up on you.

"Water." You said bluntly, watching Emily pour you a cup of water. She handed it to you tentatively.

"H-how are you feeling?" Emily asked your

"Like I just got tortured mentally and physically for twenty hours straight." You spat at her.

"Right, I'm sorry." She said, dropping her eyes to the floor.

"I also feel betrayed." You told her, moving your sharp glare from her face to Aaron's.

"Betrayed?" Aaron asked, confused.

"Well, seeing that my best friend and my boyfriend, kissed while I was being tortured by a psychopath. I'm feeling betrayed, and also extremely pissed." You told them, your volume raising.

Their reactions were genuinely dumbfounded. They looked at each other with confused looks, before looking back at you.

"Y/n, I'm not sure what you're talking about, but Emily and I didn't kiss. And we haven't for years." Aaron told you, moving to grab your hand again. Which you, again, pulled away from.

"I saw it. Briza had a live feed of the bullpen playing. Emily was on the catwalk crying, and you hugged her. It seemed fine, but then you pulled her tighter into your arms. And then you guys kissed." You explained exactly what you saw on the monitor.

"Did I have cuts and bruises on my face?" Aaron asked, which you thought was weird. Then you realized, that in the live feed, he didn't have anything on his face.

"It wasn't real?" You asked, knowing that you wouldn't believe it until you saw the proof of the actual bullpen that day.

"Was any of it real?" You asked, more to yourself than to them. A tear slid down your face, and you let Aaron wipe it from your cheek.

"Hey, the kiss was real. It was just years ago. I know the moment you're thinking about, something had just happened in Emily's personal life and she needed some comfort." Aaron explained to you, and you looked to Emily to confirm.

"I had just found out that my friend, Matthew had died suspiciously. We were close friends when I lived in Italy." She confirmed his explanation.

You started to sob hysterically, your body folding in on itself.

"I'll give you two a minute to be alone," Emily said, promptly walking out of the room.

"Y/n, what do you need me to do? Just tell me what to do to help." Aaron said, grabbing your hand and squeezing it.

"I want to go home, Aaron." You told him, not specifying where 'home' was.

"The doctors need to do a few more tests, and then we can talk about getting you discharged." He told you, wiping the tears from your face.

"Aaron?" He hummed in response, "what is today's date?" You asked him.

His face fell slightly as he spoke, "December 24th, it's Christmas Eve."

"And how long have I been unconscious?" You asked him, not wanting to know the answer.

"Almost three days." He said with a sad tone.

"Aaron, I want to go home. Now, please. I don't want to be here." You said, tears starting to fall down your face again.

"Let me go get the doctor. If you really want to go, you can sign an AMA form." He told you, poking his head out of the door to tell Emily to find the doctor.

He walked back over to the bed, sitting carefully on the edge of the bed.

"Can you just... can you hold me for a moment. I need to know this is real." You asked as you sat up, pain shooting through your entire body, but you ignored it. 

He gently wrapped his arms around your waist. You let your arms snake around his torso, the cast on your right arm weighing your arm down slightly. His strong scent of pine and mint filled your nose, you knew he hadn't gone home but yet he still smelled so good.

When the doctor knocked on the closed door, Aaron pulled himself out of your arms, sitting back down in his chair.

"Okay, Ms. y/l/n, I hear you'd like to go home. I would much more prefer that you stayed, but you can sign an AMA form, which states that you are aware that you are leaving against medical advice." He explained to you.

You only nodded eagerly, watching him exit and reenter the room, bring a discharge nurse back with him.

You quickly signed the forms, wanting to get home as soon as possible. The same nurse brought you a wheelchair, and Aaron wheeled you out to his car.

"Where do you want to go, y/n? Your apartment or my house?" Aaron asked you after he helped you into his car.

"Is it okay if I come to your house? I don't want to be a burden..." You trailed off.

"Of course it's okay, you could never be a burden." He told you, starting the drive to his house.  
  
You were finally starting to feel somewhat safe, the confines of his car comforting you. You knew that once you left his car, you would be facing a mountain of trauma. At the moment, however, you enjoyed the warm air, quiet music, and Aaron's strong hand on your thigh.


	25. Chapter 25

The drive to Aaron's house was quiet, but you were just trying to enjoy finally being with him again. The radio was softly playing Christmas music, and there was warm air blowing out of the vents in front of you. You had been wrapped in warming blankets while you were at the hospital, but you still felt cold. The hot air provided a temporary warmth, but your core still felt the chill from that house.

Ever since you woke up, you had been actively blocking out the memories, but you let your guard down. The world around you went dark, and Briza's backlit figure stood in front of you. She was repeatedly placing kicks up and down your shins with a steel toe boot. You tried to scream, you tried to get away, but you couldn't move. You couldn't make a sound.

When a large hand closed around your shoulder, you let out a blood-curdling scream. Opening your eyes, you saw a worried Aaron in front of you.

"Hey, y/n. You're okay, you're here. Briza's gone." He said, squeezing your shoulder slightly.

Through tears spilling down your face, you spoke, "I'm sorry, Aaron."

"You have nothing to apologize for, it's going to take you a while to recover from this." He told you, keeping his eyes on yours.

You weren't sure how long it had been, but Aaron had parked his car at his house. A little wave of comfort washed over you, the sense of home welcoming you back.

"Do you want to go inside, or do you need a minute?" Aaron asked you, waiting for your response.

"I'm good, let's go in." You told him, watching him jump out of the car and hurry around to your door. He lifted you out of his car, carrying you to the door. "Don't you think this is a little excessive? I could have walked you know." You said with a slight laugh.

"I know, but I want to carry you. I'll carry you wherever you want, I just want to take care of you." He told you, setting you down in front of the door. "Plus, there's a surprise in there for you."

You hesitantly opened the door, the sight in front of you dropping your jaw. The entire team was in his house, surrounded by Christmas decorations. They were sitting in his living room, sprawled out on couches and chairs. Tears started to leak from your eyes again, this time they were happy tears. You hadn't seen any of them since you left, and you missed them so much.

"You guys! This is amazing!" You told them, limping into the room. They quickly passed you around the room, giving you small hugs.

Emily hesitated when you got to her, she knew that you had spent the past few days hating her. Ignoring her apprehension, you pulled her into a tight hug, blocking out the pain in your abdomen.

"We're okay, Emily." You whispered to her. She gave you a smile in response.

You plopped down in a chair, furthest away from the team. They were too engrossed in conversation to realize that you were uncomfortable. You were incredibly happy to see them, but it was a lot to take in.

Spencer was the first to notice, extracting himself from the conversation and walking over to you.

"I know how you're feeling right now, y/n. Don't get me wrong, the team knows, but they've never experienced it first hand. Just let me know if you want to talk about it, I can give you some names of therapists that I saw after Hankel." Spencer spoke in a low voice.

The team couldn't hear what he was saying, but you could feel Aaron's eye glued to you. You nodded to him, saying a quiet 'thank you'.

"The one thing I say; don't retract into yourself, don't separate yourself from the team. Find a lifeline, someone you can talk to and tell stuff to. It doesn't have to be Hotch or anyone on the team, but you need someone to talk to, so you can sort out what you're feeling." He continued to talk, "Just don't keep it all bottled up."

You watched him walk away, mulling over what he said. It was good advice, especially since he had been through similar things in the past. Your chest started to tighten and a lump started to form in your throat. Standing up, Aaron was immediately at your side.

"Aaron, I'm fine. I just need to go use the bathroom real quick." You told him, shrugging off his hand on your shoulder. He stopped in his tracks, watching you walk into the bathroom.

Once you were alone, you let out a silent sob, tightness filling your chest. You didn't want the team to leave, but you really wanted the team to leave. There was so much happening, you just wanted to be alone. You weren't sure how long you were in the bathroom, but it was long enough to worry Aaron.

The soft knock on the door startled you, but you opened the door slightly. He gently opened the door, kneeling down in front of your slumped form on the floor.

"I'm sorry, Aaron. I'm so sorry. I'm sor-" You started to repeat the words over and over, but he cut you off.

"Y/n, no. I'm sorry, I should have known that this would be too much."

"I just want to be alone, Aaron. I just want you to hold me." You said softly, looking at the floor in embarrassment.

"Of course, anything for you y/n." He said, tucking a loose piece of hair behind your ear.

You let him peel you off the floor, carrying you into his bedroom.

"How about we change your clothes, and get into something comfortable, and then we'll go cuddle on the couch?" He asked, setting you gently on his bed. You nodded, watching him disappear into the closet.

When he emerged, your eyes lit up. He was holding one of his dress shirts and a cozy pair of sweatpants. You stood up off the bed, carefully keeping weight off the boot on your foot. He slowly pulled the hospital provided clothes off your body, asking permission before removing each garment. His eyes never left yours, not wanting to violate your privacy with his eyes, even though he'd seen your naked body more than once. After he stripped you, your arms moved to cover your bare body.

"I hope you know how truly beautiful you are, y/n," Aaron said in almost a whisper, so he didn't startle you.

You said back a quiet 'thank you', while he started to pull his sweats onto your body. It was kind of difficult with the boot, but he managed. The strings had to be pulled tight to fit your body. You turned around to let him pull the button down on to your shoulders, spinning back around to let him button it.

After he was done, he scooped you back into his arms, carrying you into the empty living room.

"I sent them home a little while ago." He explained, seeing your surprised expression.

He sat down on the couch, letting you curl into him. His hands lightly set on your back, tracing soothing circles into your skin, under your shirt. After a while you shifted off of his body, sitting next to him.

"Aaron?" He hummed in response, never taking his eyes off yours, "What is your middle name?"

"Christopher." He told you shortly, "Why do you ask?"

Without speaking, you pulled the button-down off your shoulder, exposing his initials pressed into your skin. Tears filled his eyes this time, remembering the cuts that Briza had forced under your collarbone. You grabbed his hand tightly, giving it a squeeze as you spoke.

"Aaron, this is not your fault. And I am not ashamed to have your name on my body, understand?" You watched as he nodded at your words, "On the bright side, now I don't have to get your name tattooed on my ass." You said with a slight laugh, earning one from him as well.

"I think you should do that too." He said through his chuckle.

His gentle hand reached to brush the hair out of your face, cupping your jaw lightly.

"Y/n?" You hummed in response, pushing your face into his hand, "Can I kiss you?"

You only nodded in response, leaning in to meet his face. The kiss was light, almost undetectable. You let your healthy hand rest on the back of his head, pushing his lips against you slightly harder. It wasn't a kiss of lust or passion, it was intimate and tender.

After a few moments, you pulled out of the kiss, keeping your eyes on his. He slowly shifted on the couch, letting you stretch out in front of his body. He spooned you, keeping his hands off your body until you reached for his hand. You moved his arm to secure around your waist, pulling you back into his chest.

"Y/n?" He asked you again.

"Yes?" You responded.

"I want so badly to tell you, but I want to make sure that you are okay with me saying it. And I don't want you to say it back." He didn't specify what he wanted to say, but you both knew what he meant.

"You can." You told him shortly, you knew that even if you wanted to say it back, you wouldn't. Not like this.

"I love you so much, y/n." He said, his lips brushing against your ear. You only hummed in response. He placed a kiss on your head as you drifted off to sleep.

 _I love you too, Aaron Christopher._ You thought.


	26. Chapter 26

When you woke up again, it was close to _10 pm_ and you were alone on the couch. The smell of freshly baked brownies was filling the house, the sound of Aaron dropping a bowl and cursing, brought a smile to your face. Carefully standing off the couch, you limped into the kitchen. Aaron was bent over, picking up pieces of glass off the floor.

"Need some help?" You asked with a laugh.

"Y/n, hey, did I wake you?" He asked you, quickly making his way over to you.

"No, I woke up right before you went hulk mode and smashed a bowl." You told him, gesturing to the glass on the floor.

He rolled his eyes and laughed, "Whatever."

He walked over to you, picking you up and carrying you over to the countertop. Before he could walk away, your hand grabbed his face. Your fingertips grazed over his beard, the hairs scratching your fingers slightly. He looked so handsome with a beard, the hair adding a certain _ruggedness_ to his look.

"I like the beard, you should keep it." You told him.

"Hmmm, maybe I will." He said, pecking you on the lips before starting to clean the mess on the floor.

You watched him clean the glass off the floor and sweep up the copious amounts of flour spread across the floor. After he was done cleaning the floor, he walked back over to you on the counter.

You let your knees open slightly, inviting him to stand in between your thighs. He hesitantly moved his hands towards your hips, waiting for permission to touch you. Your hands met his, wrapping his arms around your waist and resting your head on his chest. After a few moments, you felt one of his hands lift off your body.

He pulled himself away from you slightly, offering you a fresh chocolate chip brownie. You nodded, opening your mouth to let him feed you. He broke off a piece, moving it to your mouth. Before he could retract his fingers, you closed your lips around them, lightly sucking the warm chocolate off his fingers. Your eyes never left his as you slightly swirled your tongue around his fingertips. He sighed at the feeling.

You moved your hand to break a piece off of the brownie, offering it to him. Your hand brushed against the beard on his face, the feeling sending a shiver down your spine. He did the same as you, closing his mouth around your fingers and sucking the chocolate off your fingertips. A light moan left your mouth in response. He broke off another piece, placing it in your mouth. A little melted chocolate stuck on your lip, which he swiped off with his thumb. He moved it up to his mouth, your pupils blowing wide with lust.

You knew that you guys couldn't _do_ anything, but you really wanted to. It felt like it would make things better, and cover the trauma. You knew that you couldn't sweep what happened under the rug, but you wished you could just skip the hard parts.

Aaron noticed the shift in your demeanor, "What's wrong, y/n?" He asked you softly, his hand cupping your jaw.

"I just want to get better, I want to skip the hard part and get back to where we were." You told him sadly, letting your headrest in his hand.

"I know, y/n. I want that for you too, but we both know that it doesn't work that way. Your physical wounds will heal, but the psychological damage she did will last longer." He said, your head nodding in his hand.

"And I know you're not ready yet, but eventually you'll need to talk about what Briza did. It doesn't have to be to me, but it needs to be someone."

"I know, but right now, I want to go cuddle with my boyfriend in bed while we watch a Christmas movie." You told him, pecking him on the lips.

You both knew that you were deflecting, but you didn't care. You just wanted to be with him.

"That sounds like a dream." He said, pressing his lips against yours again. He grabbed your legs and wrapped them around his waist, your arms went around his neck and he carried you to his bedroom.

"Jessica is bringing Jack over at ten tomorrow, so we can sleep in," Aaron told you as he sat you down on the bed.

"I didn't get either of you anything." You said quietly, watching him turn the tv on and put in a movie. He insisted on surprising you with the movie. "Y/n, it's more than okay. I have enough presents for Jack, and I don't need anything." He told you, walking back to the bed.

He sat against the headboard, with a pillow behind his back. You nuzzled between his legs, his arms wrapping around your waist. He was careful to avoid your cuts and wounds, but luckily the days unconscious helped your superficial cuts heal. When the movie started playing, a gasp left your mouth. He had chosen _Elf_ , which was your favorite Christmas movie.

"I love this movie." You told him quietly, turning your head on his chest to catch his lips in yours.

"I know." He said into the kiss.

You tried really, _really_ , hard to stay awake during the movie. By the time Buddy made it to New York, however, you were softly snoring on Aaron's chest. You had shifted, so your arms were wrapped around his and your chest was pressed against his. He quietly turned the tv off, shifting down carefully, to not wake you. Aaron pulled the blankets over both of your bodies and kissed your head.

"I love you, y/n. More than you know." He said softly, "Merry Christmas."

-

When you woke up, you were still on top of Aaron's chest, his rumbly snore filling your head. You carefully untangled yourself from his arms, the need to pee trumping the cuddles. It was a little past eight, so you had two hours till Jack was supposed to be there. You quietly padded into the bathroom, as quietly as the boot on your foot would allow. For the first time in five days, you saw your reflection. There were dark bruises on your face and chest, a few scabbed over cuts on your face.

The initials on your chest caught your eye, and you could practically feel the knife digging into your skin again. Trying to ignore the cuts, you slowly unbuttoned Aaron's shirt. You forced yourself to look at the cuts on your breasts and abdomen, the marks drawing tears to your eyes.

_God, I have cried more in the last twenty-four hours than I have in my entire life._

You moved your hand to graze the raised letter under your collarbone. They were scabbed over, and you had a feeling that they would scar. Now you knew how Aaron felt, the image of your initials on his hip flashing in your mind.

When you heard Aaron stir, you quickly wiped the tears from your face. Closing the door, you sat down and quickly peed. You went back into Aaron's bedroom, his tired eyes looking at you from the bed.

"Good morning, little girl." He said, this morning voice low and raspy.

His words sent a chill down your spine, your chest tightening. You tried to shake the feeling from your chest, ignoring the echo of Briza's words in your head.

_"How does that sound, little girl," Briza said into the phone, ending the voicemail recording._

When you pulled your head out of the memory, Aaron was standing in front of you, a concerned look on his face.

"Where'd you just go, y/n? You just stood there for a minute, saying nothing." He said, pulling you towards the bed.

"I- I went back there." You said trailing off. Seeing his expectant face, you explained further, "She used that nickname on me, while she tortured me."

His face softened, "I'm so sorry, y/n. I didn't know."

"It's okay, you couldn't have known. I just don't think we can use that name anymore." You told him sadly. You really liked the name, but Briza changed the meaning completely.

"I don't think we'll have a problem finding a new one if you want." He said with a slight laugh, "How about princess?" He asked after you nodded.

You hummed at the suggestion, wrapping your arms around his torso, "Only if you'll be my prince." You placed a soft kiss on his lips.

"Okay, princess. How about some breakfast?" He asked, lifting you into his arms. You only laughed in response, wrapping your arms around his neck.

He set you on the counter again, your eyes following him as he worked in the kitchen. He quickly made waffles, the smell of the pastry filling the room. He pulled the waffle out of the iron and put it on a plate. You gratefully accepted the food from him, sitting on the counter with your legs tucked under you and eating the waffle. His was done soon after, standing next to you against the counter and eating his waffle.

When a little drip of syrup made its way down your chin, Aaron swiped the drop off your chin with his thumb. Never taking his eyes off yours, he placed his thumb into your mouth. You sucked the sweet liquid off his finger, letting an almost inaudible moan rise from your chest. You knew that Aaron heard it, the vibration sending a shiver down his body.

The knock at the door startled you, your heartbeat picking up and your knees drawing to your chest. You were suddenly anxious, the potential danger behind the door being very apparent in your mind. You knew deep in your mind that it was Jack and Jessica, but on the surface, you were panicking that Briza had found you.

Aaron was conflicted but ultimately went to go get the door. While he was gone, you slipped off the counter and scooted over to the most enclosed corner of his kitchen.

 _This is the shitty trauma you wanted to avoid, y/n._ You thought to yourself.

Aaron came back into the kitchen, his body crouching in front of your crumpled form, "It's just Jack and Jessica, you're safe. If you're up to it, we can go out there together. If not, come out when you're ready." You nodded at the first option, reaching towards him to have him pull you off the floor.

You walked into the room, seeing Jessica standing next to the door. She waved to you before leaving. Jack was sitting patiently in front of the Christmas tree that the team had put up, eagerly waiting to open his presents.

Aaron gave him the go-ahead, quickly grabbing a cup of coffee while he opened the presents quickly. Jack had gotten; Legos, toy cars, and a few Nerf guns. Glancing back at the tree, you saw that there was still one present, your name printed on it.

Jack brought it to you at Aaron's request, and you hesitantly opened the present. It was a long, skinny box. There was a thin silver bar necklace, the word 'strength' pressed into the metal. Most people would think it was cheesy, but you loved it. Handing him the jewelry, he gently clasped it behind your neck.

"Thank you, Aaron. I love it." You whispered, letting your hand grab the bar.

"I love you, princess." He whispered back, wrapping his arms around your waist and kissing your cheek.

"Gross," Jack said from his position on the floor. Which both you and Aaron laughed at.

"Jack, are you okay for a bit while y/n and I freshen up real quick?" He asked Jack, and Jack nodded back while he opened his first box of Legos.

You gave Aaron a confused look as you grabbed his hand and followed him to his bedroom. He had you sit on the bed, while he dug into his closet. Aaron exited the closet with a thin wrapped present in his hand. He handed it to you with a grin on his face.

Slowly unwrapping the present, you saw that it was an unmarked box. Lifting the box lid, you saw a pile of lace. Lifting the piece out of the box, a sheer and lacy bodysuit hung from your fingertips. You glanced at Aaron, seeing an apprehensive look on his face.

"I didn't know if it would be weird to get you it, but Emily seemed to think you would like it. She helped me get the right size and color, which she made a lot of comments about while she did so." He confessed, the worry melting off when he saw the smile on your face.

"It's not weird, and I love it. Thank you, Aaron Christopher." You said, giving him a deep kiss.

When he pulled out of the kiss, he spoke, "Aaron Christopher?" he asked with an arched brow.

"What? I like it, it has a nice ring to it." You said with a laugh.

"I've never really liked it, but it sounds good when you say it." He said, pulling you into another kiss.

In that moment, you were completely enveloped in him. All traces of worry and fear disappearing from your mind. All pain in your body melted away, your mind only focusing on the man in front of you. You could only feel the slight scratch of his beard, and his lips pressed against yours. You could only feel him. In that moment, you realized how much you really loved him.

Aaron pulled out of the kiss to speak.

"I love you, y/f/n y/m/n."

Before you could back out, you spoke.

"I love you, Aaron Christopher."

He wasn't expecting a response, almost used to the silence that followed his words. His eyes widened and his jaw dropped slightly. He pulled you back in, the kiss filled with lust and love. You kissed him back, letting your tongue graze against his.

"I love you, y/n. I love you."

"I love you too Aaron, I have been waiting so long to tell you that. I love you so much."

The rest of the day was filled with Christmas movies and baking. You, Aaron, and Jack lounged on the couch all day. After you had gone through a bunch of movies, Aaron put on some Christmas music on vinyl. Jack was sleeping on the couch, so he played it quietly.

You and Aaron danced in the kitchen, the lights dimmed and the music filling the space. While you were looking over his shoulder, you saw snow thickly falling outside. You gasped and grabbed your coat, carefully making your way down the front steps. You held your arms out and looked up, the large flakes melting on your face.

Aaron joined you shortly after, wrapping his arms around you.

"I love you."

"I love you."

You kissed him and he kissed you. You loved every bit, it felt like the end of a Hallmark movie. You felt like you were living a dream. You could only feel love racing through your veins.

"I love you, my prince." You said.

"I love you, princess." He said.


	27. Chapter 27

It had been a week since you woke up in the hospital, New Year's Eve to be precise. You spent the week with Aaron and Jack, feeling like you were overstaying your welcome.

"Y/n, I want you here. I want to help you get better." He told you, but it did nothing to reassure you.

Every night since Christmas Day, you had had a nightmare. They were never the same, but they had certain similarities.

_Your hands and feet were tied to a chair, Briza standing in front of you. Instead of an empty room, the team was standing around you, watching her torture you._

_When she plunged a knife into your leg, you cried out to Aaron first._

_"Aaron, please! Make her stop! Help me, please!"_

_He only laughed at your plea_

_Another stab went into your abdomen, Emily being the target of your begs this time._

_"Emily!! Help! Do something! I can't make her stop!"_

_She, too, laughed in response._

It turns out that you had been shouting your pleas in your sleep, startling Aaron. By the time you were shouting at Emily, he had woken you up.

"Y/n! Y/N! You're fine, you're okay! I've got you." He shook your shoulders slightly. Your eyes shot open, connecting with his worried ones.

You let out a sigh, "Aaron, I'm so sorry."

He cupped your face, pulling your body into his, "It's not your fault, it was just a bad dream." His low voice rumbled through your head.

You fell asleep quickly, your sleep dreamless and restless.

-

On the morning of New Year's Eve, you woke up from another restless night. You had another nightmare, waking Aaron with your knee thrashing into his abdomen. You felt so guilty, that after he fell back asleep, you sunk out of the bed and onto the couch. Yet, in the morning, you woke it Aaron's bed again.

"Good morning, princess." He mumbled against your neck, his hot breath sending a chill down your spine.

"How'd I get here?" You asked, your voice still thick with sleep.

"I woke up to an empty bed, and I found you on the couch. So I brought you back up here." He said, pulling your body against his.

"I'm sorry for waking you last night." You apologized to him, your words muffled by his chest pressed against your face.

"Y/n, it's not your fault. You can't control your dreams, and you can't apologize for trying to get better." He said, but you didn't believe his words.

"I think I should go home soon." You told him sadly, trying to retract yourself away from him.

"If that's what you want, then that's fine. Don't feel like you have to go, I want you here. I _love_ you. You shouldn't have to go through this alone, and you shouldn't have to be alone." He said, cupping your jaw in his hand.

"I don't want to overstay my welcome, and I'm strong enough to take care of myself." You tried again to retract yourself from him, but he wouldn't let you get too far.

"You aren't overstaying." He told you shortly. "And I know you can take care of yourself, but you don't have to leave. Ever."

You only kissed him in response, sighing into his mouth. Even though you were still injured, you still felt that ache in your core. You had tried a few times to jump his bones, but he protested each time.

Deepening the kiss, you set your hand on his chest, sliding it slowly down. Before he could catch you, you wrapped your hand around his half-hard cock. He groaned at the contact, his hips bucking into your hand.

"Hmm, seems like someone's _in the mood_." You chuckled into his mouth, squeezing your hand around his cock for emphasis.

"Not a chance, princess." He said, his hand grabbing your wrist and pulling it off his dick. He brought your hand up to his mouth, kissing the back of it.

"Aaronnnn," You whined against his mouth, "I am more than recovered to have sex, and I _want_ to have sex"

"It's only been a week, and I don't want to risk hurting you." He said, carefully rolling you off of his body.

"So? It's not like I'm going to break." You told him, crossing your arms over your chest.

He kissed you before standing up off the bed, "I know you're not going to break, which is why you're going to join me in the shower."

You scrambled out of his bed, following him into the bathroom. He started to help you get undressed, carefully sliding your boot off your foot. The cast on your wrist had been changed to a brace, so you didn't have to keep it on either. He unbuttoned the shirt around your torso and knelt down to pull his pants off your hips.

His lips grazed over your hips, and he let out a hot breath against your stomach. You shivered at the contact and whined at the teasing.

He stood, placing a kiss on your lips, and moved to turn the shower on. You moved to take his shirt off, letting your fingertips graze against his chest and abdomen as you stripped him. Next, you hooked your fingers into the waistband of his boxers. They fell to the ground, your healthy hand pressing against the tip of his cock, now standing erect.

"Are you sure you don't want to do something? Your hard cock seems to disagree." You said, grazing your lips against his jaw. You let your hand wrap around the tip of his dick, your thumb spreading the precum. He shivered and moaned, his hips jutting into your hand.

"I-I'm sure." His words caught in his throat when you applied more pressure.

He pulled out of your grasp, moving into the shower, now hot. You followed after him, standing in front of him. Most of your cuts were almost done healing, the water not stinging anymore when it contacts.

You pushed your ass against his hips, his hard cock pressing against your ass. A low moan filled your ears. You turned around, letting his erection slot in between your thighs. You pressed your knees tighter together, increasing the pressure on his dick.

"Do you want to cum, my prince?" You said, moving your hands up to his head. Your injured hand sat idle over his shoulder, while the other laced into his hair.

He nodded at your question, your hand tightening in his hair. A moan left his mouth at the hard tug from your fingers.

"I want words, baby boy." You told him. The sudden dominance from you and the submission from him surprised both of you.

He hesitated, but he eventually responded, "Yes, ma'am."

You almost moaned when he used the honorific.

"Get off on my thighs, then, sweet boy." You instructed him, connecting your lips to his neck.

He followed your order, starting to thrust his cock in between your thighs. When you rolled your hips to meet his thrusts, his head threw back, your mouth taking advantage of the access to his jaw. He let out little grunts with each thrust, his breath heaving with his pace.

"Does that feel good, baby? Are you going to cum?" You asked him in a mocking voice. Your hand wrapped around his throat, applying ample pressure.

"Ye-yes, I'm going to cum." He grunted, his thrusts speeding up.

"Then beg." You said forcing him to meet your eyes.

He hesitated but complied after you applied more pressure to his neck.

"P-please let me cum, ma'am. I want to show you how good you make me feel. Please, p-please, fuck, please?" He pleaded, his face flushing with embarrassment.

"Cum."

That was all the instruction he needed, his hot cum pouring in between your thighs. A quiet 'I love you' fell from his mouth right at his peak. His head dropped onto your shoulder, a low moan gracing your ears. He pushed a few more thrusts in between your thighs, coming down from his high.

"Thank you, ma'am." He said into your ear.

"Of course, baby. I love you too, my prince." You told him, pressing a kiss into his lips.

The rest of the shower was quick, his release washing down the drain.

-

Later in the day, Aaron reminded you about Emily's New Year's Eve party. She was having the whole team over, the night supposed to be filled with drinking.

"We're due there at eight," Saying it like he was at work, "and it's not a good idea for you to drink."

You rolled your eyes at his request, "I wasn't planning on it, even though I've been cleared to drink."

"And have sex." You tagged onto the end of your statement.

He didn't respond, just rolled his eyes at you, "Whatever, princess." He said.

"You didn't seem to mind in the shower this morning." You taunted him, carefully getting off of the counter in the kitchen. "That was super hot, by the way, baby boy. The way you submitted, the way you let me take over."

His breath hitched in this throat at the nickname.

"You liked it, didn't you?" You asked in a sultry voice, standing behind him and running your hands over his hips. "You liked relinquishing control, my sweet boy."

"Yes." He breathed out, your hands slipping into his waistband. The brace on your wrist caught on the band, but it eventually wiggled into his pants.

Your fingertips grazed over the initials on his hip.

"You like that you're mine, don't you?" You questioned him again. "You're mine." You told him, moving your hand up to his head, pulling his hair again.

"I'm yours, I'm all yours." He said, his body pressing back against you.

"Good boy."

You told him, patting his back and walking away from him. It was five now, so you had less than three hours to get ready for the party.

"I'm going to go get ready." That was the last thing you said to him before leaving him in the kitchen.

-

The tension between you and Aaron was palpable. His hand resting high on your thigh, the weight heavy and arousing. You were sporting a short, tight, black dress. It had a high collar, covering your chest. You didn't want to deal with the team's stares lingering on Aaron's initials. The necklace that Aaron had gotten you was sitting over the dress.

You and Aaron were the last to arrive, Emily's apartment already filled with loud music. Emily answered your knock, a cup of alcohol stuck in her grasp.

"Hey, guys! You made it! Come in, come in." She said, opening the door further.

Penelope and Derek were in the middle of her living room, grinding on each other with no remorse. JJ and Spencer were engrossed in a conversation, most likely about her kids. Rossi was nursing a cup of gin, sitting in one of Emily's chairs. You followed Emily to the kitchen, Aaron going to greet Rossi. He had spent the week out of the office, taking care of you even though you didn't need it.

Emily offered you a drink, but you had to decline, "The fun police over there," you jerked your thumb towards Aaron, "said I'm not allowed to drink."

She huffed slightly at your words, "Well, I won't tell him if you don't" She said, offering you a drink again.

"It's probably a good idea, that way I can drive him home if he gets plastered." You said, declining again.

It was at that moment that Penelope realized that you were there, she was already intoxicated, the smell of tequila strong. She pulled you into a tight hug, tell you how much she loved you.

"Since our last two guests have arrived, how about we get started!" Emily announced to the house, the team gathering into a group. "We have a long night ahead of us, and more than enough games, so does anyone have a preference with which game we start with?"

"Never Have I Ever!" Penelope squealed, making her way to sit on the couch.

The team quickly assembled into a circle, Emily and Aaron sitting on either side of you. Garcia started the game. "Never have I ever, streaked." She said.

Aaron, Morgan, Emily, and Rossi all took a drink. You weren't surprised, but you still gave Aaron a questioning glanced. "What? It was during college, I was drunk and I did it on a dare." He explained with a laugh.

Emily went next, "Never have I ever, had inappropriate thoughts about one or more of my coworkers." You took a sip of water, while Aaron, Emily, Morgan, JJ, and Penelope took a shot.

"Never have I ever stalked an ex." You said, everyone's eyes looking at Garcia as she took a drink. It was common knowledge that she could get information on anyone she wanted.

Aaron was the next to speak, "Never have I ever, had sex while on a case." You, Emily, and JJ took a drink. Aaron knew that you and Emily had done it in Illinois, but the rest of the team didn't.

"Ooooh, y/n. You and Hotch get down and dirty?" Morgan teased you.

"Nope, he didn't take a drink." You said, sending an overly obvious wink at Emily.

"No. Way." Penelope said, "The two of you??"

"Yep, Garcia. You can pick up your jaw now." Emily said, putting her arm around your shoulder, pulling you away from Aaron. You could see the jealousy rolling off of him, but you didn't care, letting your arms wrap around her.

The game continued, everyone but you getting a strong buzz. When Emily decided that she was bored, she decided to switch the games.

"I think we should play a little truth or dare." She told the team, her words slurring together.

JJ pulled out her phone at her words, "I have a generator since it's so hard to come up with ideas." She said, bringing up the generator.

It was Emily's turn first, choosing dare. She had to give a lap dance to the person on her left, which was Penelope. Her inebriated state caused her to do it, no problem.

When it was your turn, you choose dare, hoping to get any type of action since Aaron was giving you nothing. The screen read; _Kiss the person to your right, and then your left, and compare the two._

You had no issue leaning over to Aaron and kissing him. You kept it closed mouth, a rather devilish idea popping into your head. After you broke away, you moved over to Emily. Keeping eye contact with Aaron, you climbed into her lap, straddling her. Derek gave you a whistle as you leaned in to kiss her, stopping only to check that she was okay with it.

You let your tongue slide into her mouth, pressing your hands to her lower back. She let her hands trail up your spine, threading her fingers into your hair. You made obscenely loud kissing noises, trying to rack up as much jealousy as you could from Aaron. You moaned into the kiss, and let your hips rock slightly. Breaking away, you wipe your lip with your thumb, plopping back in between Aaron and Emily.

The rest of the team looked at you in awe, shocked at what they had just watched. Derek was the first to talk, "Well, y/n? Who was the best?"

A smirk spread across your face as you spoke, "I _have_ to give the point to Emily."

You could practically hear Aaron's rage in his head, his eyes going dark when you locked eyes with him. The game continued, Aaron's hand settling possessively on your thigh. Ever now and then, he would pull you closer to him, till you were practically sitting in his lap.

At 11:45, the games had ended a while ago, the drunken game of charades being very entertaining. Aaron had managed to sneak you away from the group, pulling you up to the roof of Emily's building.

It oddly warm for a late December night, but you still accepted his jacket.

"You aren't mad, are you?" You asked him, standing close to the edge of the roof, looking out at the city.

"No, I know why you did it." He said, wrapping his arm around your waist.

"And why is that?" You questioned, turning to face him.

He smiled slightly as he responded, "You wanted to get me all jealous, just hoping that I'd give in and fuck you." His hot breath was against your ear.

"And?" You asked, hoping that you were successful.

"I won't fuck you, y/n." He said, which you whined at, "But, I will give you an orgasm."

With his words, he was on his knees. Your ass pressed against the wall behind you, your chest filling with excitement and anticipation. Aaron's hand's bunched your dress up at your hips, revealing your soaked lace panties. He licked your dripping pussy over the cloth, rubbing the fine lace against your clit.

"Aaron." You moaned into the night air, letting your head fall back.

"Nuh-uh, princess. Right now, I'm daddy." He told you, stopping all movements.

You nodded at his words, hoping that he would reconnect his lips to your core.

"Words, baby girl, I want words." He said, not moving to please you at all.

You hesitated, knowing that he wanted to you beg him. In all fairness, you made him beg, so you returned the favor.

"Please, Daddy? I want your mouth on me. I want to feel those thick fingers in my pussy." You told him. His eyes darkened with lust at your words, his fingers pushing your panties out of the way.

His lips connected to your uncovered clit, sucking hard on the pert nub. You let out a moan, lacing your fingers into his hair with your healthy hand. He pushed two fingers into your core, curling them immediately to hit your g-spot. His other hand wrapped around to knead your ass, grabbing the flesh tightly. The slight beard burn from his jaw spurred you on further, letting out another moan.

"Oh, Daddy. Just like that, I'm going to cum." You told him, grinding your hips against his mouth.

"Then do it, princess."

That was all the encouragement you needed, the tension from the past week releasing in a wave of blinding light. Pleasure rolled through your body, Aaron keeping his hands on your hips to keep you from falling to the ground. You moaned out his name, and a string of curses, into the open space.

After a moment, you looked down at Aaron. His face was covered in your arousal, your wetness sticking to his beard. You watched as his tongue darted out of his mouth to catch any of you he could. Eventually, he grabbed a tissue out of his pocket, wiping his face clean. You tugged your dress back over your ass, the uncomfortable, cool, wetness of your panties pressing against your core.

"Thank you, Aaron. I love you." You said, helping him back to his feet.

"I love you too, y/n." He said, pulling you into a deep kiss. You could still taste yourself on his tongue, and his beard was still damp from your release.

When he glanced at his watch, he saw that you guys had five minutes to get back to the team and watch the ball drop. You both scrambled back to Emily's apartment, Emily giving you a knowing glare when you entered her apartment.

The team loudly counted down starting at ten.

_Ten_

Aaron's hand secured tightly around your waist.

_Nine_

You turned to face him, connecting your eyes with him.

_Eight_

One of his hands moved to cup your jaw, the other moving to your lower back.

_Seven_

You moved your healthy hand up to his face, your fingertips grazing his beard.

_Six_

Aaron pulled you further into his body, your chest pressing against his.

_Five_

The world around you started to fade, your focus only on Aaron.

_Four_

You could only feel Aaron's touch on your body, and you could only hear his breath in your ear.

_Three_

Aaron pulled your body completely flush against his, his right hand moving up to your face.

_Two_

You let your hand lace into his hair, pushing his face closer to yours

_One_

He was the first to close the gap, his hand pulling your lips against his. The kiss was full of raw emotion, both of you pouring 'I love you' into the other one.

 _"_ Happy New Year, princess. I love you." He said, pulling out of the kiss.

"Happy New Year, my prince. I love you too." You told him, pecking him on the lips again.


	28. Chapter 28

Aaron was still denying you sex, even after New Year's Eve. It had been a week since the party at Emily's apartment, and he was almost completely ignoring your advances. Except when you would wake up to his lips on your neck, and his fingers digging lightly into your hips.

By the end of the week, your neck made you look like a horny teenager. There were hickeys from your jaw down to your breasts. He also littered a few on your hips and thighs. He was all over you, other than giving you the one thing you desperately wanted. Most mornings, you would wake up to the same thing, and this morning was no exception.

Aaron was the first to stir, pulling your body against his. He snuggled into your neck, his rough beard scraping against your face.

"Good morning, my princess." He mumbled into your neck, connecting his lips under your jaw after he spoke.

"Someone's in a good mood." You said, wrapping your arms around his torso. He hummed into your neck in response.

He started sucking _another_ mark into your neck, directly under your ear. The ones on your neck had just started to fade, but the purple marks on your thighs were still prominent. He slipped your cropped sleep shirt off your body, exposing your bare chest. His hands moved from your hips up to your breasts, kneading the flesh roughly.

"Someone's in a very good mood." You said with a slight laugh. You knew that he wasn't going to have sex with you, so you rolled away from him. You were tired of the teasing and you knew that he wasn't going to give you what you wanted. His hands followed your movements, his hands still gripping your chest as you laid on your front.

"Aaron," you sighed into the pillow under your face, "unless you're going to fuck me, I'm going to get out of bed."

His arms moved to lock around your waist, keeping you in place, "Sorry, princess. I don't have time; I've got to go to work today." He said sadly, but not making an attempt to get out of bed.

Aaron connected his mouth to your shoulder, starting to drag a line of wet kisses across the top of your back. When he made it to your spine, he started to suck marks in a line down your back. His hands moved from your breasts, starting on your upper rib cage and sliding slowly down your sides.

When he reached the top of your ass, he sucked a final mark into one of your ass cheeks, sucking and biting on the plump flesh. He then licked a warm line up your spine, kissing your face lightly.

Deciding that he was done, he placed a light clap on your ass and climbed out of bed. You let out a groan, slipping out of the bed too. For the past week, you and Aaron had been showering together, never doing more than kissing.

You both quickly showered, taking turns in front of the spray of warm water. When you got out, you both grabbed clothes from his closet. You had spent the majority of your time with him in his clothes, the smell and feeling bringing you comfort. Once clothed, you both went back into the bathroom to brush your teeth.

When you saw him pull out his razor, your bottom lip pouted out, "Nooo, you can't shave!" You whined, plucking the razor from his hand.

"I'm sorry princess, I need to shave for work." He said, grabbing the razor from you again.

"You don't _have_ to shave." You mumbled, his only response being a slight chuckle.

You watched him shave off the hair on his face, sitting on the counter of the sink, and your lip still pouting. Once he was done, you watched as he put on aftershave and wiped his face dry. You let your hand move up to his now bare face, your fingertips brushing against the smooth and freshly shaved skin. He moved his body in between your legs, giving you a quick kiss.

Your arms hung around his neck, his hands on your hips, "I have a fair amount of work to do today, so I might be home kind of late. But Emily's going to come over while I'm gone." He told you.

You were immediately confused, "If you're working today, why isn't Emily?"

"I gave her the day off so that she could come here and help you." He said nonchalantly.

You retracted your arms with a huff, "So, you got me a babysitter?"

"No, you're still healing and I want someone here to help you if you need something. Just think of it as a girl's day, just you two." He denied your accusation, trying to make you accept Emily's help.

"I don't _need_ a _babysitter_." You told him, ignoring his words. You felt like a little kid or a dog. Like he didn't want you getting into the cookies on the counter or shitting on his rug.

"She's not a babysitter, she'll just be here to help you if you need it. I don't want you alone if you fall, or have a panic attack, or need something." He explained his reasoning. You knew that he was only doing it to help you, but you still didn't like the idea that he thought you were breakable.

"Fine." You said shortly, pushing yourself off the counter and walking to the kitchen.

His heavy footsteps followed you after he grabbed his shoes and watch, "I love you."

"Mhmm." You responded, passive-aggressively pulling cereal out of the cabinet.

He walked into the kitchen, wrapping his arms around your waist, "I'll be home around six, I'll bring food home for dinner." He said, pressing a kiss into your neck.

"Okay." You said shortly, taking a bite of cereal.

"I love you, y/n." He told you as he walked out the door.

"I love you too." You finally budged. You didn't like leaving him on a bad note, considering how often the two of you go abducted.

-

About an hour later, you were sitting on the couch. Your now dry hair was covering the mark under your ear. You nearly shot out of your seat when there was a knock on the door. A small wave of panic went down your spine as you walked over to the door. People knocking still made you nervous, but you mustered enough courage to look through the peephole to see Emily.

Sighing a sigh of relief, you opened the door, quickly letting Emily in. You gave her a tight hug once the door was closed and the alarm was set.

"How are you?" She asked, pulling out of the hug and following you into the living room.

"I'm good, kind of upset that Aaron felt the need to get me a babysitter, but I'm not mad at you." You told her, sitting down on the couch with a huff. It was truly nice to see her, but you were still pissed at Aaron for making you feel helpless.

"I know, I told him you wouldn't like it. I don't have any doubts that you can take care of yourself, but when I'm offered a paid day off, I take it." She said with a laugh.

The rest of the day was nice, watching movies and eating food. You could see her texting Aaron, he wouldn't stop nagging her for updates on you. After a few movies, Emily asked a question out of the blue.

"How's you sex like been, y/n?" She said it so casually.

"Wha- what?" You stuttered through the word, caught off guard by her question.

"Have you and Aaron had sex since you got home?" She asked pointedly.

You hesitated for a moment, but ultimately responded, "Yes, but also no." She was the confused one this time, so you elaborated, "We've _done_ stuff, but we haven't had sex."

"Care to explain?" Emily asked you. It was nice getting to talk about it, but you weren't expecting her to ask.

You told her about New Year's Eve on the roof, but she had already suspected that. You hesitated before telling her about the shower the morning of New Year's Eve, but you did.

"It was weird, I've never really taken control. And I _know_ I've never called a man ' _little boy',_ at least never in that situation." You said, thinking back to your hand in his hair and his whimpers.

"Did you like it?" She prompted you, "Yeah, I did. Aaron would kill me if he heard me say this, but I _know_ he liked it."

You almost didn't catch her eyes darkening slightly with lust, but you did.

"He was a whimpering, moaning, mess. It was like nothing I'd ever seen." You kept talking, feeling a slight wetness form in your panties just from thinking about it, _"He called me 'Ma'am'"_

You said it in almost a whisper like someone was going to hear. This time, you saw her pupils dilate and a small gasp fall from her mouth. Normally you would be jealous about her reaction to this, but you had a feeling that it didn't have to do with Aaron and more to do with you.

"Do you like that, Emily?" You asked her, pulling her out of her trance, "Do you want to dominate him? Or me?" You asked in a low voice, moving closer to her.

Obviously, you would never do anything past flirting with her until you talked to Aaron.

"Yes." She breathed out.

You hummed in response, "Do you want me to call you 'Ma'am'? Do you want to strap me to your bed and make me yours?" You asked, moving forward to bite her ear. She had done a very similar thing to you a few weeks ago.

"Mhmm." She hummed, her breath hitching in your throat.

"Do you want to fuck me with that pretty strap, while my daddy shoves his cock down my throat?" You asked, letting your hot breath fan across her neck.

She actually moaned in response, a smirk setting on your face.

"I'll take that as a yes," you said, letting your lips graze her neck, "I guess I need to talk to Aaron." You told her, finally pulling away from her.

She was flushing a dark red on her chest, neck, and face. "I- um, yes. You should."

It was obvious that she was flustered, which was your goal. You left her on the couch for a moment, going into the kitchen to grab both of you a glass of water. You felt like you needed a cold shower, and even though you and Aaron had done more than what just happened, you felt like you just had sex.

Emily graciously accepted the water from you, gulping down over half the glass. The conversation was light, Emily still very flustered and red.

When Aaron got home, she almost ran out of the house, trying to break the tension between you two.

"What was that about?" Aaron asked you with a confused tone, setting down the pizza in his hand, "I was going to offer her dinner."

"She's just a little flustered." You told him, grabbing your phone to call her. You wanted to make sure you didn't make her uncomfortable.

She picked up after two rings, _"Y/n? Is everything okay?"_

"Yeah, I was actually calling to ask you that. If I made you uncomfortable, I'm sorry." You said into the receiver.

 _"You didn't make me uncomfortable, y/n. Just incredibly turned on."_ She told you with a slight laugh, _"Please keep me updated on what Hotch says, I need to know how prepared I need to be for this."_

"Of course, Emily. I'll talk to him now." You said, ending the short phone call.

Aaron was staring at you the whole time, confused, "What are you going to talk to me about?"

It was your turn to blush, "I may have proposed a threesome to her." You told him sheepishly.

His face didn't move.

"A threesome?" He asked, making sure he didn't hear incorrectly.

You nodded, hoping you didn't cross a line, "What do you think?"

He mulled it over for a few minutes, his fingers rubbing against each other in thought, "I don't want to do something that will make you uncomfortable."

"I'm the one who suggested it, so I think it's safe to say I'm comfortable with it." You told him with a laugh.

"How would it work?" He asked, not wanting to commit before knowing all aspects of the arrangement.

"Well, she seemed pretty interested in domming me with you. Ya' know, strapping me to the bed and fucking me senseless." You told him, joining him at the table.

"Okay." He said bluntly.

"Okay, what?" You questioned his short response.

"Okay, I want to do it." He told you, a smile forming on your face. "Well then, we'll have to get her over here and talk limits and whatnot beforehand. And I want to have sex with you before I have sex with the both of you."

"That's fair, but we're not having sex till you're cleared." He told you, to which you sighed in response.

You pulled out your phone to text Emily, sending a short message.

_Y/n: We have a yes!_

_Emily: I guess I need to go shopping ;)_


	29. Chapter 29

Aaron drove you to your doctor's appointment, but you asked him to wait outside. He didn't have a problem with it, assuming that you just wanted a little privacy, which was true.

It was a quick visit, the doctor checked your now healed cuts on your abdomen. They were now pink lines across your belly, starting to puff up and scar. The letters on your chest doing the same, but they were starting to turn a pale silver.

Your fingers and toes were healing nicely, and you were able to go without the boot and brace.

"When can I have sex?" You blurted out when the doctor started to leave the room.

"Your cuts are completely closed, and your fingers and toes should only be a little stiff. You can have sex anytime you'd like." She told you, giving you a nod before leaving you alone.

You smiled to yourself, buttoning the shirt you were wearing. You had shamelessly worn a lacy bra and panties set to the appointment, which is some of why you didn't want Aaron in there. You thought about jumping his bones in the car, but you didn't want to rush your first time with him in almost a month

When you left the building, you saw Aaron talking on the phone. You quietly got into the car, letting him finish his conversation. You only caught, "Alright, she's back. I'll let you know time and place. Bye."

"Time and place for what? You're not going to kill me are you?" You asked him, leaning in to give him a quick hello kiss.

"Not yet, I was talking to Emily. She wanted to know how soon we wanted to, ya' know..." He trailed off, his face flushing red.

"Have the threesome?" You suggested, watching him blush harder.

"Yeah." He said sheepishly, with a smile.

"Well, I just got cleared for _all_ physical activity. So, anytime after today should work." You told him, leaning in to kiss him more deeply this time.

"Really? Well, then I guess we have to do something about that." He said into the kiss. You hummed against his mouth in response, "I was thinking maybe a jog." He told you with a laugh.

"That's not really the cardio I was thinking." You said, sitting back in your seat and buckling your seatbelt.

"Cycling?" He asked, gripping your thigh with his right hand as he started to drive.

"Unless we're going to do that naked, then that's still a no." You said, setting your hand on top of his. He chuckled at your response, trying to think of a clever response.

You could practically see the lightbulb above his head, "We could wrestle naked." His hand tightened around your thigh with his words.

You hummed, letting your left hand trail across his arm and set on his upper thigh. His breath hitched slightly at the contact, his hand tightening on the wheel. Your fingertips drew light circles on his upper leg, dropping low between his thighs every time around. You let your fingertips brush against the large tent in his pants.

"Princess, I wouldn't recommend teasing me right now." He told you, moving his hand up to your core.

"I could say the same to you, _daddy._ " You breathed, letting your hand fully contact his erection.

His hips bucked slightly, a light grunt falling from his lips. He did the same to you, sliding his hands under your skirt and running a finger up your clothed slit. You moaned, letting your head fall back.

"We're almost home, princess." He said, listening to your whimper as he pulled his hand away. You retracted your hand, immediately bringing it to your shirt. You unbuttoned your shirt, toeing off your shoes into the floorboard.

His eyes flitted back and forth, from your rapidly appearing chest and the road, a small groan leaving his mouth at the sight. Once you had opened the shirt, you pulled your feet onto the seat below you, letting your knees open towards him. You snaked a hand in between your legs, pushing your lace panties to the side and plunging two fingers into your soaking core.

Before you could get too far, Aaron grabbed your wrist, pulling your fingers out of you, "You don't get to touch what's mine, without permission." He growled at you and pushed your dripping fingers up to your mouth.

"Suck." He said shortly. And you did, letting the taste of yourself cover your tongue. A small moan left his mouth at the sight.

Aaron swiftly, but gently, pushed your knees together and dropped your feet off the seat, "Button your shirt, baby girl." He told you, and you considered your options.

You could do as you were told, and be rewarded. Or, you could be a brat, and be punished.

"No."

You told him, pulling the dress shirt completely off your body. Your bra was barely considered a bra, there were wires sitting under your breasts, but the fabric covering them was completely sheer. Your pert nipples pressed against the mesh, the dark ring of your areola, and your pink nipples completely visible through the thin fabric.

His eyes went dark, opening his mouth to speak, "Brat." he said, but his tone betrayed him. You could hear the arousal in his voice.

Your fingers had made their way up to your nipples, rolling the sensitive nubs in between your fingertips. You softly moaned, your head pushed back against the headrest.

At some point he had parked at his house, staring at you in awe, "You look gorgeous like that, baby." He told you, reaching out to cup one of your breasts. You flushed at his comment, suddenly much more aware of what you were doing.

"How about we go inside, and pick up where we left off?" He asked you, and you nodded eagerly in response.

His hand grabbed your jaw, "Words, princess." He said, waiting expectantly.

"Yes please, daddy." You responded, the words rolling effortlessly off your tongue.

He walked around the car and opened your door, scooping you into his arm.

"Daddy!" You whined quietly, "I can walk on my own, I'm a big girl."

"So? You're still my princess, and I wouldn't want my baby to have to walk." He spoke against your ear, "And you're still shirtless." He reminded you with a laugh.

With a slight gasp, you crossed your arms over your chest. Aaron didn't agree with that.

"Nuh-uh. You chose to take your shirt off, so you're going to have to deal with the consequences." He said, prying your arms from your chest and slowing down his steps.

You huffed, letting yourself be carried into his house.

Once he was inside, he walked you over to the kitchen, setting you on the counter and moving in between your legs. He connected his lips to your neck, pressing hot open-mouthed kisses down your throat. He littered light hickeys over the top of your chest, pausing for a moment over his initials under your collarbone.

"I love that you're marked as mine." He said, letting his tongue flick across the letters. A moan fell from your mouth, and you bit down on your lip to gate your noises.

When he noticed this, he brought his hand up to your mouth, his thumb pulling your lip from in between your teeth, "I want to hear every sound that pretty mouth has to offer." He told you, pressing a bruising kiss on your lips.

His tongue swiped across your bottom lip, before pressing deep into your mouth. You gave little resistance, letting him use you like a toy. He let his hands move from your hips, reaching around you to unclasp your bra with ease. Once you were bare from the waist up, his hands grabbed your breasts roughly. Kneading and pulling on the flesh, his fingertips finding your nipple.

He pinched them lightly and you moaned into his mouth. Experimentally, he pinched them again, harder. You let out a louder moan, your back arching into his touch. Your sounds spurred him on, his lips working hard against yours, his breath heaving.

While he worked on your chest, you placed your hands against his chest, letting them slowly slide down to his pants. You unbuckled his belt, pulling the leather off his waist. Next, you unzipped his pants, slipping your hand into them. You hooked a finger into the waistband of his boxers, pushing your hand into them as well.

There was a glob of precum smeared on the front of his boxers, and more leaking from the tip from your touch. You used his precum to slick him up, twisting your hand around his overly sensitive tip. His hips bucked into your hand, and he pushed a moan into your mouth.

"Oh, princess, whatever you do, don't stop." He said, his words slurring together. You didn't.

Your hand moved up and down his shaft, long and slow strokes. Every time you made it to the tip, you would squeeze and roll your wrist. The motion elicited a moan from him each time.

While keeping his lips on you, he moved his hands from your breasts down to your thighs. He pushed your skirt up, the fabric bunching around your waist. Your panties had been deemed ineffective, your hot wetness dripping onto the counter.

"You're so wet, baby. Is this all for me?" He asked, moving his lips away from yours.

"Yes, daddy." You breathed, feeling his fingers hook into the waistband of your panties and pulling them to the ground, long forgotten.

You removed your hand from his pants, only long enough to push his pants off his hips. He ignored the pool of cloth around his ankles, not bothering to step out of them.

He wrapped his hand around his dick, stroking himself lightly.

"Aaron?" You said his name to pull him out of his trance, "Can we use a condom?" You asked him shyly.

"Of course, can I ask why?" He asked back, bending down to grab a condom from his wallet.

"I haven't gotten back on birth control since the whole... situation." You explained, plucking the condom from his grasp.

He hummed in response, watching you discard the foil wrapper and start to roll the condom down his shaft. He bucked his hips when you first contacted his cock, the tip red and hard.

Once the condom was on, you moved your hands up to his face, pulling him into a kiss. He cupped your face, pressing his lips firmly against yours. This kiss was different, his lips felt softer. Your lips caressed his, letting your tongue dart out and connect with his.

He reached down to line himself up with your entrance, pressing his tip into your pussy. He slowly inched into you. You both moaned into each other's mouths, your arms wrapping around his neck for leverage.

It felt like he was splitting you open, his shaft slowly opening you up. When he fully sheathed himself in you, you both let out a sigh. He held his hips still, letting you adjust. He let out a groan as your walls fluttered around his length.

"Oh god, you're so tight around me, princess." He said, struggling to keep still.

"Move, please, daddy." You sighed into his mouth, rolling your hips away from him.

He started to push slow thrusts into you, his fingers digging into your hips. He started to kiss down your neck when you threw your head back, taking advantage of the exposed skin. You whimpered as he started to increase his pace, his tip brushing against your g-spot with each thrust.

"You're doing so good, baby. You're taking me so well." He sputtered out in between thrusts.

You moaned at his words, rolling your hips to meet his thrusts. Your head dropped to his shoulder, pressing your lips against his neck lightly. When he started to snap his hips into your harder, you whimpered into his ear with each one.

"Daddy, that feels so good." You cried, digging your nails into his shoulder. He moaned at the sharp press of your nails into his skin.

You almost screamed in displeasure as he pulled out of you, but you were cut off when he pulled you off the counter and turned you to face away from him.

You lifted your hips up, giving him better access to your cunt. He pushed into you, the new angle giving him pristine access to your g-spot. You moaned when he picked his pace up where he left off, your chest falling to the cold counter.

You gasped at the cold contact on your chest, but another change in angle pulled moans from the both of you. He continued to plow into you, little moans falling from your mouth.

He let his fingers dig into your hips, holding your body still while he fucked into you, relentlessly. He moved both his hands to grab your shoulders, pulling your torso upright.

A loud scream left your mouth, your head throwing back and your eyes screwing shut at the immense pleasure from the change in position. He roughly fucked up into you, grunting with each thrust. You both moaned in unison, his teeth pressing into your shoulder.

"Oh god, Aaron." You breathed out.

"You feel so good, y/n." He sputtered.

You could feel your climax rapidly approaching, your walls starting to clench around him slightly. His cock started to twitch in you, and his thrusts sped up, chasing his high. He moved his hands to your breast, pinching your nipples tightly.

"I'm going to cum, daddy." You moaned out, moving your hand up to his head to tug on his hair.

He grunted, his bruising pace never faltering, "I'm right there with you, princess." He moved his hand to rub fast circles on your clit.

It was a glorious moment when you both came, 'I love you' falling from both of your mouths in unison. A wave of white-hot pleasure rolled through your body, starting at your clit. You let out a loud, high pitched moan, your body falling forward, clenching and writhing around Aaron. He moaned lowly, his head thrown back in satisfaction.

Neither of you moved for a bit, his softening cock still buried in you. You were oversensitive, so when he started to pull out of you, you whimpered loudly.

"I know, baby girl. You did so good, you were so good for me, my princess." He said, pulling the condom off his limp dick and throwing it away. He put only his boxers on before tending to you.

You were delirious from your orgasm, your face smiling against the cool contact of the counter. He unzipped your skirt, trying to take it off without getting it _too_ dirty. He dropped it to the floor, letting it pool on the floor.

"I'm going to pick you up, princess. We'll go take a bath and get you cleaned up." He said, but you could barely hear him, still floating from your orgasm.

You figured you were in a state similar to a subspace. All of your trust was completely placed in Aaron's hands, trusting that he wouldn't do anything to hurt you.

You managed to use your coherent thoughts to slur out, "I love you, Aaron. Thank you."

"I love you too, y/n." He said, kissing your head as he sat you on the counter in the bathroom.

It was only three in the afternoon, but you were spent. You figured that you could probably sleep till morning the next day, seeing how tired you were.

While you two sat in the bath, he gave you another orgasm. This one was a lot slower, more sensual, and meaningful if an orgasm could be meaningful. He helped you out of the bath, drying you off and helping you into fresh underwear, his dress shirt, and a pair of his sweatpants.

You two cuddled the rest of the day, just soaking in the smell of each other and the warmth of your legs pressed together. His right hand traced a line up and down your spine lightly, his left holding your face. You let your legs wrap around his torso, your fingertips tracing circles into his shoulders. His warm brown eyes stared into yours, soaking in the sight of you. He didn't move his eyes from yours for a moment, till your eyes started to droop and you started to fall asleep. He pulled your body closer to his, your face nuzzling into his neck.

"I love you, Aaron Christopher." You said into his shoulder.

"I love you too, y/f/n y/m/n." He said back, pressing a kiss into your cheek.


	30. Chapter 30

You knew that getting cleared meant going back to work, which made you nervous but also glad. You missed working, but you knew that you wouldn't be allowed in the field.

"Why can't I go into the field? I got cleared three days ago." You complained to Aaron in the shower.

"Because, you're still recovering, physically and mentally." He told you, his hands washing shampoo out of your hair.

"I hate paperwork, I can come on cases and stay at the station. I'll stay out of the field." You suggested, turning around to let him put conditioner in your hair.

It had become a regular thing for Aaron to wash his hair. He started doing it when you couldn't use your broken hand, and it kind of stuck. After you healed enough, you started to do the same for him.

"I know you do, princess," Aaron said, squirting conditioner into his hand, "but, you still have to pass the psych eval."

That's what you were going to work to do today. You had to sit through a slew of different psychological tests and talk to a shrink about your abduction.

"Oh boy, I'm thrilled about that. I can't wait to explain what happened to me in great detail, and be analyzed by some stupid shrink." You said in a fake cheerful voice, turning to face away from the water again. You set your hands on his hips, your thumb absentmindedly rolling over your initials.

"I know, baby. But I think it'll help, maybe after talking about it, the nightmares will stop." He suggested, gently rinsing the product out of your hair.

The nightmares of Briza torturing you hadn't slowed down a bit, sometimes even having two or three a night. You would wake up, hot tears streaming down your face, and Aaron holding you tightly to his chest.

He would stroke your hair and draw circles on your back till you fell back asleep. If one was bad enough, you would wait for him to fall asleep and then you would sneak to the couch or guest room. Sometimes you would wake up in his bed again. Other times, Aaron would join you on the couch or in the guest bed, his legs and arms wrapped around you protectively.

"Maybe." You muttered, letting your head fall against his chest. He wrapped his arms around your waist, pulling you against his bare body. His lips pressed a kiss on top of your head, and you hummed happily at the gesture.

After getting dressed and ready for work, you and Aaron headed to the office. You were filled with dread, not wanting to start the evaluation and certification process. Aaron parked in the garage and instinctually went around to help you out of the car. He almost pulled you into his arms, another thing that he started doing, but your words stopped him.

"Pick me up, and I'll scream." You told him with a laugh.

"Right." He said, awkwardly retracting his hands from you, "Do you want to come up and see the team, or just head straight to the third floor?" He asked, leading you to the elevator.

"I'll come up and see them at lunch, I want to get this over with." You told him, letting your pinky find his.

-

When the doors opened, you hesitated for a moment, but walked through the doors and gave Aaron a wave goodbye. You let out a small sigh, before checking in and waiting for your therapist to bring you back.

A quiet click of heels alerted you to a short brunette approaching you. She had on a sweater and cardigan, as well as a scarf around her neck.

"Agent y/l/n?" She asked.

_She sounds nice._

You nodded at her question, meeting her eyes, "I'm Dr. Finley, I'll be doing your evaluation today." She told you, gesturing for you to follow her to her office.

It was a small, cozy room. There was a couch as well as two armchairs. The couch had pillows and blankets, and the table in front of it had a bottle of water and tissues.

"You can sit anywhere, I want you to be comfortable while we do this." Dr. Finley told you, grabbing a file off her desk.

You took a moment but eventually sat on the edge of the couch. You knew that this wasn't going to be quick, or easy, but you could hope.

"First things first, Agent. I know that this isn't something you want to do, but it is necessary for you to be reinstated as an agent." She started to tell you, "It's important for you to be honest with me, I need to know how you are recovering mentally, as well as physically."

You nodded, trying to convince yourself to be as truthful as possible, "I understand."

"I notice that you keep touching your scars on your chest." She pointed out.

You hadn't realized that you were doing it until she said that. You were actively running your fingertips over the raised letter under your collarbone.

"And?" You asked, trying not to get defensive.

"How do you feel about having your superior's initials scared into your body?" Dr. Finley asked.

_Shit, I'm not supposed to love my boss. And no one is supposed to know that I've been staying and sleeping with him._

"I thought it would bother me more, but I don't pay much attention to them." You lied through your teeth.

She leaned forward, resting her chin on her hand, "As I said, Agent; I need you to be honest. Anything said here is said in confidence. So, how long have you been dating your boss?" She asked straight out.

Your breath hitched in your throat, your mouth going dry at her question.

"I-um. I'm not?" She gave you a knowing look, "Okay, fine. We were together about two or three weeks before I was..." You trailed off.

"Are you still with him?" She asked.

"Yes, I've been staying with him since I got back." You told her, letting yourself relax into the couch a bit.

She marked something in the file, "How has that been?"

You let her question run through your head, trying to think of how things were _actually_ going. Aaron takes care of you, which you like, but you sometimes feel suffocated.

"Things have been fine, he helps me. He can be suffocating sometimes, not letting me take care of me. Somethings I don't mind, but I feel like he's afraid to let me leave. Or let me be alone." You told her.

"The one time he left the house, he had someone come over and watch me. He makes me feel helpless like I can't do anything for myself." You said, your last words trailing off.

"Have you actually been alone since you came back?" Her tone was calm, but there was a hint of shock.

You shook your head as you spoke, "I haven't, only when I use the bathroom or go to the kitchen to get a drink."

"Well, I'd say that your next step should be going back to your apartment. You need space and time, you need to collect your thoughts, without someone hovering." Dr. Finley told you.

"Is this a therapy session or a psych evaluation, does what I do in my relationship change my ability in the field?" You started to get defensive, you weren't expecting her to delve into your relationship with Aaron.

"Considering your boss is also your boyfriend, yes your relationship does affect your ability in the field. There are reasons that agents should be involved with each other. Love can cause you to be rash and do things that you wouldn't normally do, like offering yourself to a known killer." She said, her words running down your back like ice.

"I did that to save my friends and family. I did that to keep them safe." You raised your voice, "I didn't do that because it sounded fun, do you think that I wanted to be tortured by that bitch?" You spat at her.

"I know that these circumstances were different, and cases don't normally revolve around agents working them. However, your decision shows that you act rashly."

"You shouldn't have been working that case in the first place. Your defensiveness about your relationship with Agent Hotchner shows that you're using it as a distraction." She told you, keeping her voice calm and even.

"So what? Is it so bad that I turn to my boyfriend for comfort? Is it terrible that he holds me after I wake up screaming? Is there something wrong with wanting to be with my boyfriend in our home?" Your hands clenched at your side, your fingertips rubbing furiously against each other.

"It's extremely normal, agent, but you're using it as a way to ignore your issues. You live with him and letting him take care of you after you are more than capable to take care of yourself, shows your dependency on him."

"You're letting the stability of your relationship cover your instability of your mental state." She said, keeping complete eye contact with you.

_Shit._

You sighed, knowing that she was right. You probably knew she was right, even before she said the words, but she brought the facts up to the surface of your mind.

"Can I have a minute?" You asked, standing and leaving the room without getting a response.

_I know that I was just complaining about how he was hovering, but I don't want to leave him. I know that I've been thinking about going back to my apartment ever since I got back, but that place doesn't feel like home anymore._

Your eyes widened as you remembered what you had said in her office.

_"Is there something wrong with wanting to be with my boyfriend in_ **_our_ ** _home?_

_Oh god, what have you done, y/n? You've been calling his house 'home' for a while, but now?! Now you've called it 'our home'. You guys are barely a couple, it's been a month and a half at best._

"Agent?" You heard Dr. Finley behind you, "Are you ready to resume?"

You nodded, following her back into her office.

"Okay, so what do I do? How do I tell him that I want to leave?" You asked her, not giving her the chance to get a word in.

"Well, do you want to leave him, or go home?" Dr. Finley asked you.

"I guess I just need some space like you said. He was reluctant to leave me alone while he left for twenty minutes, how do you think he'll react to me wanting to go back to live by myself?" You asked her, finally admitting that she was right.

"Why do you think he holds on to you so tightly?" She answered your question with another question.

"Because, the last time he left me alone, I got abducted." You said quietly, your eyes trained on the floor.

"Agent, you weren't abducted. You _willingly_ drove yourself to her. _You_ made the decision to give yourself over." Her words felt like knives.

"Because, the last time he left me alone, I left him." You said, your voice almost inaudible. Your eyes never left the floor, tears flooding your vision.

She nodded, "He's scared to lose you. He went through the same things you did, and he knows how you're feeling right now. He's scared that he's going to come home and _you won't be there_."

"I'm not a flight risk." You said through tears, "I'm not going to disappear. Why doesn't he get that? Is there something wrong with me? And I just can't see it?"

That question has been haunting you, nagging you. Like a thorn in your side. The tears that were daring to spill from your eyes, dropped, rolling lines down your face.

"There's nothing _wrong_ with you. He's ignoring his trauma, but the little that's showing through is his fear of losing you. It probably stems from the loss of his wife." She told you.

"Stop it." You said through clenched teeth, "Stop profiling him. You don't get to talk about what happened to Haley and compare that to me."

"I'm not comparing you to her, but I'm trying to drive in my point; _it's obvious that he loves you, but I think that he's terrified that he's going to lose another woman he loves._ "

"Well, that makes me feel worse about leaving him!" You yelled at her.

"I don't want to hurt him." Your voice dropping down to a whisper as you spoke.

"You going home won't hurt him. Sure he'll miss you, but it'll show him that he's not going to lose you." She told you, offering you a tissue for your tears.

You accepted the tissue, quickly wiping the hot tears off your face. "I don't think I have the strength to do this." You said quietly, almost to yourself.

"That necklace you're clutching sure thinks you do, is it from him?" She asked you, pointing to your hand clasped around the necklace Aaron had given you.

"Yeah, he did. He gave it to me the day after I got back." You said, fondly thinking about Christmas morning.

"He knows that you have the strength to do anything you need or want. This is something you need to do, to get better." She told you, sitting back in her chair.

"If I don't leave, does it affect whether I can go into the field or not?" You asked her, even though you were planning on leaving.

"No, but I think it will greatly benefit your recovery." She assured you.

The rest of the session was fine, you were processing what happened with Briza surprisingly well. Dr. Finley figured that the nightmares would go away with time. She passed you, giving you full clearance to go into the field.

-

Your hands sat clenched in fists the whole ride up to the sixth floor. You didn't know how to tell Aaron, but you knew you had to.

When you walked into the bullpen, all eyes landed on you. There were mixed expressions; surprise, pity, sadness.

Ignoring the stares, you walked up to Aaron's office, knocking before walking in.

"Come in," Aaron answered from his desk.

"Hey, Aaron." You said, walking in and closing the door behind you. You tried to mask the sadness in your voice, but Aaron heard it immediately.

"What's wrong? Did something happen during the evaluation?" He asked, standing to meet you in the middle of the room.

His hand immediately reached for your face, cupping your jaw lightly, "What happened, y/n?"

"I-I need to go home." You told him, your words catching on the lump in your throat. There were already tears forming in your eyes.

"Okay, okay. We can go home, just let me tell Rossi real quick." He said, starting to pull away from you.

Before he could get too far, you grabbed his wrist, stopping him, "No, Aaron. I need to go to _my_ house. I need to stay at my apartment for a while." You barely choked out the words.

"What do you mean?" He asked you, reaching for your face again, but you stopped his hand.

"I think we need a little time apart, we need to let each other heal. You're still recovering, as much as I am." You said, your voice thick with tears.

"I'm fine, I want you with me." He grabbed your hand, nervous tears forming in his eyes.

"I know, and I want to be with you, but you need to know that I'm not going to leave. I need to be able to be alone and take care of myself. You need to know that I'm not going to leave you, even if I'm not with you at all times." You told him, cupping his jaw and wiping away the tear on his face.

"Y/n, please don't do this. I don't want to lose you." He pleaded, gripping your waist lightly.

"You're not losing me, I'm not breaking up with you. We just need some space." You told him.

"Y/n, _please._ "

"Aaron, I'm sorry. I have to." You said, pulling him into a light kiss before walking out of his office. "Emily's going to take me to your house, and then I'm going to go to my apartment."

"I'll see you tomorrow, I got cleared for the field."

That was the last thing you said to him, before walking up to Emily's desk. She was more than willing to help you.

You were quiet, almost silent as she helped you collect your belongings at Aaron's house.

You broke down in tears as you set your key on the kitchen counter, Emily catching you in her arms.

She helped you move things back into your apartment, offering to stay and help, but you let her leave. The rest of the day was quiet, you listened to music or watched tv, but you weren't really paying attention.

You were looking through your phone when you came across the pictures of you and Aaron that Emily took. You were laying on Aaron's chest, his blazer draped over your body. The picture brought more tears to your eyes.

There was nothing more that you wanted than to be in that position. You missed him, even though it had only been a few hours. You just wanted him back.


	31. Chapter 31

The first night you spent without Aaron, was terrible. You were cold all night, no matter how many blankets you piled on. You fought your urge to call or text Aaron, leaving your phone in your kitchen all night.

When your alarm went off in the morning, you barely registered it. You were still cold, so you quickly got in the shower. The hot water washed off the chill and relaxed your tense muscles. You were nervous to see Aaron at work, worried about his reaction.

 _It's not like I left him. We're still together, I just need some time to heal alone._ You tried to convince yourself.

You got dressed for work, putting on a full black ensemble. A black turtleneck and blazer, black dress pants, and short black heels. It was still cold as shit outside, so layers were your best friend.

Your drive to the office was quick, your anxiety rising as you got closer to the base. You already planned to talk to Aaron, you didn't like how you led him so abruptly yesterday after talking. Taking a brief moment to set your bags down at your desk, you made your way up to his office, knocking before entering.

"Come in." Aaron's tired voice responded.

He looked like hell. The circles under his eyes were more prominent as well as the bags. His hair looked disheveled like he hadn't bothered to touch it this morning. What stood out the most was his slightly wrinkled suit, which is extremely out of character for him.

"Aaron." You said in a sad voice, walking over to meet his desk.

"Agent?" He asked you, his tone cold and emotionless.

"Aaron, don't do that. We both know that we need some time to heal." You started to tell him, reaching for his hand. He pulled away from you, crossing his arms over his chest.

"I still love you, and I still want to be with you. I know you feel like I left you, like I betrayed you." You continued to talk.

Before you could speak again, he cut you off, "Y/n, I don't just feel betrayed. I was worried sick last night, I didn't know where you were or if you were okay." His voice was weak and it wavered.

"I called you to make sure you were home and safe, and you didn't respond. I almost came over and broke your door down, but Emily convinced me not to." He told you, his eyes not meeting yours.

"Aaron, I told you where I was. I left my phone in my kitchen so I wouldn't be tempted to call you. I missed you all night, but that doesn't change my decision. I still need time to recover mentally, before I can commit myself fully to you.

"I know we're doing things out of order, but I still love you. I always will, but I need to know that my bond to you isn't formed because you're taking care of me." You said, reaching for his hand.

"A _trauma_ bond?!" His voice was incredulous and had risen to a yell, he stood from his desk, "You think that after you're all healed and whole that you won't love me?"

"That I'm just some patch for your stupid little heart, and when you're better, you'll throw me away?!" He roared at you. You retracted backward, putting more distance between the two of you.

" _My stupid little heart?!_ " You matched his tone, "You really think that I would use you like that? After I know what it's like to be used, after what's happened to me? You think I would just use you, and leave you?"

"I don't know, y/n! How could I? Every time I try to get you to open up to me, you push me away!" He answered you, his voice still yelling.

"Can't you see, Aaron? Can't you see how scared I am right now?" You started to move toward him.

"Why, y/n? Why are you scared?" He asked, stepping closer to you, his voice finally dropping to a normal volume.

"I'm so scared to- to let myself acknowledge how madly in love I am with you, Aaron. I missed you so whole-heartedly last night, I just wanted to be with you and hold you. I'm so scared that the moment I tell you this, you're going to run or leave or hurt me." You confessed, letting your words pour out before you could stop them.

"You know that I would never hurt you, y/n." He told you, moving his hand up to your face quickly.

Sadness filled his eyes when you flinched at his movement.

"I know _you_ wouldn't, but I know what the world can do to a girl who only sees beauty in it. The second I let my guard down, I get hurt. It always happens." You tell him, a small waver in your voice.

"I will never stop protecting you, I know that you're not ready to accept that, but after you're healed. After you've recovered, I will still put all of my efforts into keeping you safe and taking care of you. I don't think I'll ever be able to stop." Aaron said, moving his other hand slowly to grab the other side of your face.

You took a moment to drink in the man before you. All his attention was solely on you, the world could have been burning around you, but you'd never forget the look in his eyes. You had never noticed how light the brown was in his eyes. They looked so warm, specs of gold framing his pupil. They looked like honey, and you could do nothing but look at them.

Right as you went to speak, you were pulled out of your trance by a knock at the door, "Hotch, we have a case." JJ said from the doorway.

"Gather the team, we'll be there in a second." He told her, only taking his eyes off yours for a moment.

"Actually sir, you might want to be briefed beforehand." She told him, his hands finally falling from your face.

With a sigh, he spoke, "Alright, JJ, go ahead."

She stared at you for a moment, waiting for you to leave, but you stayed planted at Aaron's side, "JJ?"

"Right, sorry sir. I just wanted to make sure you were aware that the case is in Alaska. There have been three murders inside of a week in the small fishing town, Franklin." She told the two of you, your jaw-dropping slightly at her words. The team hadn't been to Alaska, there were rarely serial killers there.

"Alaska?" Aaron asked, making sure that he had heard correctly.

"Yes sir," JJ confirmed, nodding her head.

-

It was a long plane ride to Alaska, and it gave you and Aaron ample time to talk. Seeing that it was early morning when the plane took off, the team was still very awake for most of the flight. It was over nine hours, so you and Aaron didn't have as much privacy as you were expecting.

You and Aaron were sitting at the table alone. He was on your left side, his hand resting on your thigh. He had a file laid out on the table between the two of you, and you had your head sitting on his shoulder.

His pen was scratching on a piece of paper, writing out the parts of a profile that the team knew. You let your hand travel to his thigh, tracing a pattern lightly on his leg.

"Aaron?" You spoke after a length of silence.

"Yes?" Aaron responded, setting his pen down on the table.

"Are you upset that I went home?" You asked him. You knew that he missed you, but were still worried that he was mad about you leaving.

His eyes softened, "Of course not, y/n. I just miss you, I missed you last night. I missed you this morning, in the car, my bed, the shower, my arms, everywhere." He told you, his hand tightening around your thigh.

"I missed you too, Aaron." You moved your hand up to his face, "But you understand why I did it, right?"

He nodded in your hand, "I do, I understand. I just let my emotions get the better of me."

"Also, Aaron?" He hummed in response, "Speak to me like that again, and I'll leave your sorry ass. Understand?" You kept your tone even, your hand tightening on his jaw.

Aaron's eyes dropped to his lap, his head nodding in your hand.

"Words, my prince." You said, gripping his jaw tighter to force him to look at you.

"I understand." He said, your hand tightened again.

"I understand, Ma'am." He corrected himself, his eyes dropping from yours.

You slowly moved in to kiss him, "Good boy." You whispered, before gently grazing your lips across his.

-

After working out of the only hotel in the area, the team finally took a break. You and Aaron were sitting on a couch, deep in conversation, when a whistle caught both of your attention.

"Earth to lovebirds." Morgan laughed, the rest of the team wearing smirks.

"Sorry." You muttered, blush spreading across your face and chest.

"Baby girl, it's fine. We're not blind to your relationship, but we need rooms to sleep in." Derek assured you.

Aaron finally spoke, "They only have four rooms available." Grim expressions crossing the team's faces. "We'll have to double up."

"I'm not sleeping with Reid," Morgan said from his seat, a shocked look crossing Spencer's face.

"Dibs," Penelope said, reaching to grab Derek's hand.

"Emily and I will share a room." JJ offered, looking to Emily for approval. She nodded.

 _Well, that's new._ You thought to yourself.

"Y/n, are you okay with staying with me?" Aaron asked, moving his hand to your knee. You nodded at his question.

"I guess that leaves me with the kid," Rossi said, "but I hear anything funny, I'll break your door down, guns blazing." He told you and Aaron, the rest of the team laughed at his words.

"Don't worry, Dave." You told him, "I like to keep him quiet."

The team's jaws dropped, the only laugh coming from Emily. You locked eyes with her, giving her a subtle wink.

You and Aaron stayed on the couch, talking, while the team slowly filtered out of the room.

"Did you tell Emily something?" He asked once you two were alone.

"I may have, that's actually how I ended up proposing that threesome we have yet to do." You told him, standing from the couch and offering him your hand.

You both made your way to your room, your hands linked together tightly. It was a small room, a large bed in the middle of the room. There was a chair sitting in the corner and a desk next to a small tv on a table.

You dropped your bag on the desk with a sigh, shucking your blazer off and setting it on the chair, Aaron doing the same.

"Would you like to take a shower? Since you missed me so much this morning?" You offered, walking over to him and sliding your hands over his chest.

"Hmm, sounds fun." He responded, pecking you on the lips.

Five minutes later, you and Aaron were standing in the shower, hot water showering over your connected bodies. You were standing directly under the spray of water, one of his hands set on your hip. His other arm was looped under your arm, his hand setting under your collarbone. You could feel his fingertips tracing over the letters on your chest.

Your left hand set on top of his on your hip, your fingers laced through his. Your right hand was threaded in his hair, scratching at his scalp. You were just enjoying the contact, almost hoping that things weren't going to turn sexual.

You weren't opposed to it, but you just wanted to be with him. In his arms, drinking in the comfort.

After almost an hour, you finally got out, drying off and getting dressed.

"Why is it so cold?" You complained, nuzzling into his neck, pressing your cold toes into his warm body.

He hissed at the cold contact of your toes, "Fuck, it's probably because we're in Alaska." You hummed at his response.

You both fell silent, listening to the other breath, your hand set firmly on his chest. You were pressed up against his side, his arms wrapped around your torso.

One thing that you hated more than anything these days, is silence. When it was quiet, your mind would wander and it never went anywhere good. Different things that Aaron had said to you, running through your mind.

_"Why can't you see that I'm not going to hurt you, y/n. I wish you could see how much I love you."_

_"I want the good and the bad, the damage, the tears, the laughter, the late nights and early mornings. I want it all. I want you. But you won't let me!"_

_"Y/n, please don't do this. I don't want to lose you."_

_"Are you expecting that after you're all healed and whole that you won't love me? That I'm some patch for your stupid little heart, and when you're better, you'll throw me away?!"_

_"God, y/n, what's wrong with you?"_

"What's wrong with me?" You asked yourself quietly, not realizing that you were talking out loud.

"What was that?" Aaron said, sitting up slightly on the bed.

"Oh, I, uh. Nothing, I thought you were asleep." You told him, hoping that he would drop the subject.

"No, you asked a question. I can see something is bothering you, you're not meeting my eyes, something's wrong." He profiled you.

"Stop profiling me. I know that you can turn it off." You said, pulling yourself off the bed.

"I'm not, I just know my girlfriend." He followed you off the bed.

You weren't sure when, but you had started crying. When Aaron saw your shoulders shake, he rushed over to you.

"Hey, hey, hey, what's wrong? What happened?" He asked, pulling you into his arms.

You turned slowly to meet his eyes, "What's wrong with me, Aaron?" You asked, small tears falling down your face.

"There's absolutely nothing wrong with you, y/n." He said, cupping your face lightly.

"You've said it yourself, the day you got abducted. You asked during our fight 'God, y/n, what's wrong with you?' You already know there's something wrong with me, what is it, Aaron? What's wrong with me? Why can't I let you in?" You asked, the tears still streaming down your face.

"Y/n. I didn't mean that. I never should have said that to you, it was insensitive. I know that there is nothing wrong with you." He told you, moving you towards the bed.

"You're struggling because of your past. The last time you let someone in, they hurt you. You know that I'm not going to hurt you, but your subconscious is protecting you." His tone was soft as he downright profiled you, but you didn't have the will to care.

"I want to let you in. I want to. I've been trying so hard." You broke down, letting yourself slump into his arms.

He pulled you under a blanket, pulling you into his embrace. He whispered 'I know, baby, I know' and 'I love you' over and over, lulling you to sleep.


	32. Chapter 32

You woke up in the middle of the night to Aaron moving around on the bed. At first, you assumed he was just shifting in his sleep, but when a low moan filled the quiet room, you were alerted to what was happening. His eyes were screwed shut, his chest heaving slightly.

 _Oh my god, he's having a wet dream._ You realized.

You turned to face away from him, feeling his hips buck, searching for your body. You pressed yourself up against him, letting him rock his hips against your ass. Another moan came from the sleeping man, his hands gripping your waist. You could tell that he was still sleeping, his movements slightly sluggish.

"Please, Ma'am. Please let me cum, I've been a good boy. I haven't touched myself at all." Aaron's high pitched whine filled your ears. His words made you blush slightly, pushing your ass harder against his hips.

"Go ahead, my prince. You can cum." You said quietly, getting caught up in the moment.

He groaned and let his hips rock against you faster, "Thank you, thank you, Mistress." His words sent a ping of arousal to your core.

You felt his body relax behind you as he released. He moaned as he came, his cum getting caught in his boxers.

Suddenly, you felt Aaron's body tense behind you. He had woken up shortly after cumming, and he wasn't sure if you were awake.

"Y/n?" He asked quietly and timidly, not wanting to wake you if you were still asleep.

"Yes?" You responded, keeping your voice even.

"How much of that did you hear?" He asked shyly.

You rolled to face him, "Every word, my sweet boy." He flushed a dark red, burying his head in your shoulder in embarrassment.

"I'm sorry, you should have woken me up." He said, still embarrassed by his actions.

"Why? I would have missed the show, that was extremely hot, by the way." You told him, moving your hand to cup his jaw, "Go get yourself cleaned up and change your boxers, and let's go back to sleep."

-

Aaron was still embarrassed in the morning, keeping his eyes from meeting yours.

"Aaron, stop it. There's nothing embarrassing about having a wet dream." You finally blurted out, breaking the uncomfortable tension.

He immediately blushed at your words, ducking his head, "I'm just embarrassed that you woke up to me rutting against you like a dog."

"How much do you remember from your dream?" You asked, ignoring his admission.

"Not much, why?" He said, shrugging his shoulders lightly.

"You said somethings... some nicknames." You told him, both of your faces blushing lightly, "You called me 'Ma'am' which isn't new, but Mistress was definitely new." You said, watching his jaw drop and his face flush darkly.

"I'm so sorry, y/n. I-" He started to stutter out before you cut him off.

"Aaron, there's nothing wrong with it. If you want to call me that, you are more than welcome to, I liked it and I welcome it." You told him in a calm voice, crossing the room to cup his jaw lightly.

He started to stutter over his words again, "I- I was just worried that you- you would think that I'm less of- of a man if I wanted to call you my M-Mistress." He told you, his voice dropping to a whisper on the last word.

"Do you want me to be your Mistress, sweet boy? You want me in charge?" You asked him, carding your fingers through his hair.

"Y-yes, but I also want to be in charge sometimes." He wouldn't meet your eyes.

Your voice softened, "Aaron, you're allowed to be a switch."

"Okay." He said, meekly. You kissed him lightly on the lips, letting him dominate the kiss.

After he broke away, you watched him pull a quarter-zip fleece over his button-down. Even in the middle of fucking Alaska, he still wears a dress shirt. He looked hot, like super fucking hot. You almost dragged him back down on the bed.

"I see the way you're looking at me, princess. Don't even think about it." He said through a laugh, pulling his dominant wall back over himself.

"You just look hot, like really fucking hot." You walked over to rub your hands over his chest, pressing your lips against his again.

He pulled out of the kiss to speak, "You don't look too bad yourself." His hands moved to your ass while he spoke, a quiet yelp leaving your mouth when he squeezed.

-

It took a while for the case to come to a close, but when it did, you couldn't be more relieved. There was also a pit of arousal in your stomach, ever since the team was at Owen Porter's house, it had been slowly growing.

When he yelled at Owen's dad, " _Sit down and shut up._ " you almost moaned on the spot, your lip caught in your teeth kept in it.

His quarter-zip sleeve had been pushed up to his elbows, providing you the perfect view of his forearms and hands. His hands looked so large and powerful as he drove away from the Porter house, his knuckles shining from his grip. You were practically drooling at the muscles that were rippled down his forearm.

He had caught your stares a few times, shooting you a hard glare back.

What sent you over the edge, was when he cuffed Owen Porter. One of his large hands holding both of Owen's together, his other pulling out his handcuffs. The click of the cuffs sent a shiver down your spine, catching Emily's glare this time.

"You're awfully lucky that there's a long plane ride home because I sense that you won't be getting much sleep tonight." She whispered into your ear, following your gaze to Aaron's ass.

"Care to join?" You asked with a laugh, half expecting her to deny.

"Hmm, sounds enticing. You might want to check with Hotch first, but you should know I'm always _strapped_." She said the last word with a wink, tapping her gun on her waist. You blushed at her words, feeling another shock to your core.

"I think I will check with him, keep your phone close." You told her, walking over to talk to Aaron slowly.

He gave you another glare, sensing your demeanor, "That better have been about work." He kept his voice quiet.

You brushed your hip against his, "And if it wasn't?"

"Then I might have to punish you." He said through clenched teeth, moving his hip against yours.

"And if I were to invite someone, say, Emily, how would you feel?" You asked him, reaching your hand for his.

He waited for a moment, thinking over his options, "Hmm, I might have to take you up on the offer." He said, squeezing your hand in his, "But I want to make sure things are safe, and that you're completely comfortable with it."

"Aaron, I'm the one who is suggesting it. It's more than safe to say that I'm comfortable. I trust you and Emily more than anyone in my life, I'm not worried." You told him, letting your thumb brush across the back of his hand. "I'm more concerned about you, I don't want you to do this if you don't want to, or you're not ready."

He took a breath before speaking, "I have been looking forward to this for a while now." He said, pushing you lightly back towards Emily.

You were suddenly nervous and excited, your feet carrying you quickly over to Emily, "Hey, Em." You greeted her awkwardly.

"Hi? Y/n, why are you acting weird?" She immediately caught on to the change in your attitude, "I take it the conversation went well."

You nodded, "We are both onboard if you're okay with tonight."

An apprehensive look crossed her face, "Don't you think that it'd be pretty obvious if the three of us disappeared? Or the fact that JJ would notice me gone all night? Don't get me wrong, I'd love to do it tonight, but I think it'd be smarter to do it back home."

A look of defeat crossed your face, "Yeah, you're right." You said quietly.

"That way, I have a chance to home and freshen up. I can grab some _things_ from my apartment, and we can have a more comfortable plane ride. I don't think you want to sit on a bruised ass for nine hours." She said, giving you a wink with her last words.

"I- uh, yeah that doesn't sound fun. I'll talk to Aaron and text you later, I think we're headed back to the hotel now." You stuttered through your words, starting to weakly make your way back to Aaron.

You climbed into an SUV that Aaron had driven, the rest of the team spread out amongst three other cars, "We have to put a rain check on it, Emily is worried about the team figuring out. She's going to come over when we get back." You told him sadly, buckling your seatbelt.

"That makes sense." He nodded at your words, starting to drive back to the hotel.

"She wants to go home and freshen up, and apparently grab some _things_." You watched his eyes darken at your words.

"I'd advise getting some go sleep tonight, princess, you won't be getting any tomorrow night." He said, a devilish grin spreading across his face. 


	33. Chapter 33

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: There are some pretty intense sexual actions in this chapter, more than anything that has happened so far. There is a lot more kink and BDSM themes, so; if you are uncomfortable with any of that or don't want to read it, this chapter is non-important to the plot (it's almost completely smut)

You slept surprisingly well, but the ache in your core did not let up. Aaron refused to do anything past kissing, wanting to savor today's activities. You and Aaron were the first to board the jet, sitting next to each other at the table. He was texting Emily almost nonstop, but he wouldn't let you see his screen. When Emily got on the plane, she handed you a small bag.

"Go to the bathroom, right now." She said quietly, gesturing for you to get up.

You walked into the cramped bathroom on the jet, starting to open the velvet bag she gave you. Before you could finish opening it, you got a text.

_Emily: Put it in like a good little slut, and then come back out._

You furrowed your brow at the text, a pit of excitement forming in your stomach. There was a medium-sized, purple vibrator sitting in the palm of your hand.

It was shaped in an L, the short stem curving slightly. You quickly unbuttoned your pants, pulling them and your underwear down enough to get the toy inside. The long stem reached up to your sweet-spot, the end rubbing slightly against it. The short arm nestled perfectly into your slit, the rounded off head pressing directly against your clit.

You heard the booming voice of Morgan join the jet, so you quickly pulled your underwear and pants up, taking a quick moment to make sure you didn't need to adjust the toy.

Leaving the bathroom, you gave Emily a small nod, sitting back down next to Aaron. When you sat, the toy shifted, pressing against both your g-spot and your clit. Only a small gasp left your mouth, Aaron smirking at it.

Since you didn't turn it on, you assumed the plane ride would be a breeze, the toy only there to warm you up. However, when Emily remotely turned the toy on its lowest setting, you gasped, louder this time.

Your hands tightened around your knees, your shoulders hunching slightly. Your phone distracted you, another text from Emily.

_Emily: Don't even think about cumming on this plane, at least not without permission. You can ask your daddy or your mistress, but I highly doubt we'll let you. Understand?_

_Y/n: Yes._

_Emily: Don't forget who you're fucking talking to, whore. I'll ask again, do you understand?_

_Y/n: Yes, Mistress._

_Emily: Good girl, you can also call me Ma'am._

_Y/n: Yes, Ma'am._

Emily gave you a nod at your last response, turning off the vibration. You let out a sigh, your shoulder relaxing.

"I see your Mistress is treating you well," Aaron whispered into your ear, the plane starting to take off from the tarmac.

"I don't know if I can endure nine hours of this." You told him, giving him a pleading look.

His eyes moved from your face, connecting with Emily's. You felt the toy turn back on, the vibration stronger than before. You grunted quietly, earning Aaron's angry glare. "I'd keep it down, princess, you'll only make things worse." He warned, nodding to Emily, the vibration finally stopping.

After a half-hour of nothing from Emily, you finally relaxed, letting your head lay on Aaron's shoulder. He slid an arm around your waist, pulling you further into his body.

"I love you, Aaron Christopher. Thank you for doing this." You said quietly.

"I love you too, y/f/n y/m/n." He responded in a whisper, kissing you on the top of your head.

After a few hours of quiet conversation with Aaron, you started to doze off. Your eyelids started to heavily close, sleep pulling at you. Right as you almost fell asleep, Emily switched the vibrator on the highest setting. A loud gasp and a moan fell from your mouth, your body completely doubling over in pleasure.

You could hear the vibrator buzzing loudly, although you knew that only you and Aaron could hear it. Luckily the rest of the team was sleeping or listening to music, so no one but Emily and Aaron heard your moan.

Aaron's hand dug into your side, warning you, "Keep it down, whore." He told you quietly.

"Aaron, p-please." You begged him, a tight orgasm starting to build in your core.

"Nuh-uh, princess." He taunted, letting his hand drift down to your ass.

You turned your head to look at Emily, giving her a pleading look. She slowly shook her head, a smug smirk set on her face. When you jutted your lip out, she let a small laugh out, still shaking her head.

She switched the toy down to a lower setting, your lungs letting out a breath you didn't know you were holding. It was a lot more manageable, but an orgasm was still slowly building.

After a few minutes, Aaron could tell that you were close to cumming. Right as you were about to fall over the edge into bliss, he shot Emily a glare, the vibration finally stopping.

You whined quietly, not appreciating the edge that they gave you. Emily sent you another text.

_Emily: Don't be such a brat._

Aaron chuckled quietly, reading the text on your phone, "She's right."

The rest of the jet ride consisted of eight more edges, one every hour. You were sure that your pants were soaked, and if you stood up you wouldn't be surprised if there was a puddle.

When the plane landed, Emily turned the vibrator back on the lowest setting. The rest of the team was off the plane, but you were stalling. You didn't want to stand up from your chair, fearful of the probable puddle in your seat. Aaron was about to say something to you, but he saw Emily make her way over to you.

She reached her hand around your head, grabbing your hair tightly. She tugged strongly, tilting your head up to look at her, "Get up, slut." She growled, her face inches from yours.

You whined, her hand tightening again, "Did you not hear me, whore?" She said, moving her face closer to yours, her lips grazing yours.

"Yes, Mistress, I'm sorry." You said, ducking your head and starting to stand from your seat.

You heard her laugh, seeing your arousal on the chair. When the toy shifted, you moaned at the movement. It earned a smirk from Aaron and Emily, and you were just glad that they didn't reprimand you.

Every step was agony, the toy slipping and shifting with each movement. Little gasps and moans dropped from your lips as you walked, finally sitting down in Aaron's car. You watched Emily hand Aaron the remote, your lip pouting when you realized that the torture wouldn't stop.

The drive to Aaron's house wasn't any better, he constantly dropped and raised the frequency of the vibration. You were a moaning whimpering mess, your wetness definitely seeping through your pants and onto the seat below you.

Aaron's hand on your thigh slowly moved up to your crotch, pressing the vibrating toy harder against your clit. A high pitched moan left your mouth, your head falling back onto the headrest.

You sighed when you made it to Aaron's house, hoping that he would spare you until Emily made it there.

"Princess, I want you to go upstairs and get changed into your gift from Christmas I gave you. I'll stop the vibration, but you can't take the toy out. You can grab the sheer robe in my closet if you want it." He told you, a whine at his words, "I'm giving you a break, princess, don't be a brat."

"Yes, daddy." You pouted, getting out of the car and walking up to his bedroom.

You stripped off your clothes from work, your panties soaked completely. You left your clothes in a pile in the bathroom, walking into Aaron's closet to grab your bodysuit and the sheer robe. You quickly pulled on the red, sheer, lingerie barely covering you. Your breasts were lined by wires, the bottom half of the cup covered with lace. Despite the lace, your pert nipples were still very visible.

You slipped on the black, floor-length, robe. The edges were thinly lined with fur.

 _Damn, I look good._ Was your only thought, before you walked out of Aaron's bedroom.

It was cold, and the two layers of thin mesh weren't supplying any heat to you.

When you walked into the kitchen, you saw a pot of water on the stove, and Aaron chopping up vegetables at the counter.

"Are we eating before Emily comes over?" You asked, walking over to Aaron.

"No, Emily and I are eating dinner." He responded, not taking his eyes off the counter.

"You and Emily? What about me?" You asked, genuinely confused.

"Brats don't get to eat." He told you shortly, "At the least, I'll consider feeding you."

You pouted at his words, knowing that responding wouldn't help.

"And if you'd like to eat, I'd stop pouting." His eyes still didn't leave the counter, it's like he could sense your jutted out lower lip.

Right as Aaron was plating the pasta, onto three plates, there was a knock at the door. This was the first time since Briza that you didn't panic at the sound. You waited for Aaron's instructions, which came promptly.

"Go let your Mistress in, and don't dare be rude." He said sternly.

You padded over to the door, gently pulling it open. Emily was wearing a short, purple, silk dress. A black jean jacket covering her torso. She had on tall heels, she was towering over you. She had a medium-sized, black, duffle bag. No doubt housing various toys and such.

"Hi, Ma'am." You greeted her, meeting her eyes for a second before dropping them back to the floor.

"Hi, pet." She responded, ruffling your hair slightly.

You waited for her to step into the house, following her to the table. When you went to sit down, Aaron spoke.

"Brats don't get to sit at the table." He told you, and you froze, waiting for him to tell you where to go.

"You can kneel on the floor, like a dog," Emily said with a grin, watching you sink down to the floor.

You watched as Aaron placed three plates on the table, putting yours on the opposite end from you. You wanted to whine, but you kept yourself from releasing a noise.

They talked like you weren't even there. Almost completely ignoring the fact that Emily was there for a threesome. After ten minutes, your knees were sore from the hard floor beneath them.

Aaron, noting your silence and obedience, grabbed a forkful of pasta from your previously ignored plate. He moved it in front of you, offering you the food, which you gladly accepted. It was delicious, a small sigh coming from your chest at the taste.

"Is that good, princess?" Aaron asked, carding his fingers through your hair.

The rest of the dinner, he would occasionally give you a bite of pasta or bread. When Aaron was half done with his place, he slipped his hand into his pocket. You had almost completely forgotten about the vibrator, so when the toy started buzzing, you doubled forward. A surprised moan left your mouth, your head dropping and your eyes screwing shut.

Emily's hand gripped your jaw, forcing you to look at her, "You're going to take it like a good little slut, and you're not going to make a noise."

"Yes, Ma'am." You respond, letting your eyes drop back to the floor.

They continued to eat, Aaron's knee moving towards your face. He slipped it under your chin, letting you rest your head on his knee. He stroked your hair lightly, calming you down slightly. Emily offered you another bite of pasta, you taking it gratefully.

As you chewed, Aaron changed the vibrations to the highest setting. You almost spit out the food, your chin digging into his leg.

"Good girl." He whispered, praising you for your lack of noise.

After Aaron and Emily finished their food, Aaron moved the plates to the kitchen, ignoring them till morning.

"Are you ready, litt- princess?" Aaron caught himself, but you grabbed his hand.

"Aaron, it's fine. I'm doing great, the nickname doesn't affect me. You can start using it again, and I'll let you know if I'm uncomfortable." You told him, looking deeply into his eyes.

"Okay, are you ready to start, little girl?" He asked, his eyes darkening slightly.

You nodded, "Go sit on the edge of the bed and wait. Do not think about touching yourself, or you won't cum at all tonight." He told you, gripping your jaw.

"Yes, sir." You responded, nodding and walking to his bedroom.

You could hear Emily and Aaron talking, but you couldn't understand what they were saying. You felt anticipation growing in your core, the now low vibration still buzzing.

You saw Emily walk in first, her jacket was taken off while you were waiting. Your eyes landed on her nipples poking through her silk dress, her hair pulled back into a ponytail.

She walked over to you, not saying a word. Two fingers under your chin tilted your face to look at her, your eyes catching on her breasts for a moment.

"See something you like?" She asked, your eyes finally landing on hers.

"Yes, Mistress." You choked out, nerves setting in under her intense glare.

She hummed, "If you're good, then you might get to touch, but only if you're good." Her face started to move towards you, her lips pressing against yours.

Emily's tongue swiped against your bottom lip, encouraging you to part your lips. When you did, she pushed her warm tongue into your mouth, meeting your tongue. She started to pull the straps of your lingerie off your shoulders, pushing it down to your waist. A small tap on your hips told you to stand off the bed, Emily pulling the bodysuit off your legs and onto the floor.

She pulled her tongue out, sucking on your bottom lip before biting down on it. You moaned into her mouth when she started to slowly pull the vibrator out of you and then whined when she completely removed the toy.

Aaron was slowly shedding his suit, watching you and Emily. When he was wearing only boxers, he lightly palmed himself over them, sitting down at the end of the bed.

When you and Emily broke apart, Emily walked out of the room. You assumed she was grabbing her bag, but Aaron's hand on your thigh pulled you out of your thoughts.

"Y/n, this is the last time I'm going to ask before we start; are you absolutely sure you want to and are ready to do this?" He asked you, keeping his eyes on your face to search for any sign of apprehension.

"Aaron, I am one hundred percent sure." You told him, grabbing his face lightly.

When Emily walked back in, he spoke to both of you, "I want to use the stoplight system, for safe words. Green; good, Yellow; slow down or change, Red; stop immediately." You and Emily nodded at his words, "Anyone can use red or yellow, but green will mostly be used by y/n."

He turned to you, "Color?"

"Green." You told him, looking back and forth from Emily to Aaron. They both nodded.

Emily unzipped the bag, pulling out a harness and eight-inch, pink dildo. You watched as Aaron connected his lips to her neck, pulling the silk dress off her body. He grabbed her ass, a gasp leaving her mouth when he did. You spotted a faint hickey on her neck when he disconnected his lips.

He turned away from her, walking over to his dresser. He pulled out four ropes, placing them on the bed.

"Color, princess?" He asked you, keeping complete eye contact.

"Green, daddy." You responded with an even tone, trying to hide your excitement.

He started to tie your feet, placing a kiss on each ankle. He did the same to your hands, kissing your palms.

"Your Mistress and I will both cum before we consider letting you." He told, watching your head nod eagerly.

Emily had placed the harness and dildo on the bedside table, the bed dipping as she climbed towards your head. She placed a knee on either side of your head, holding her dripping sex over your face.

When Aaron removed his boxers and climbed onto the bed, she started to lower herself down onto your mouth. You immediately ran your tongue up and down her slit, lapping up her sweet juices.

You moaned into her core when Aaron ran his tip-up your slit, pressing into your cunt. You had been on edge for the past eleven hours, so he had no problem sliding into your dripping pussy.

Emily moaned in response to the vibration caused by your moan, leaning forward. Both her hands landed on your breasts, gripping them tightly, "Fuck, little slut, do that again."

She rolled your nipples in her fingertips, another moan ripping through your chest. Aaron started thrusting roughly into you, his balls slapping against your ass.

"You're so wet and tight, little girl." He grunted, his hard and fast drive into you never faulting.

Emily bent at her waist, lightly grinding her hips into your face. She connected her lips to your hip bone, sucking a mark into the flesh, then making a line of hickeys to the other hip.

You rolled your hips to meet Aaron's hips, his grunts punctuating each thrust. He had his hands firmly on your waist, digging finger-shaped bruises into your skin. You moaned against Emily when she moved her hands back to your bouncing breasts, pinching your nipples harshly.

Aaron could feel your walls tightening around him, "I can feel how close you are, princess. Make your Mistress and your Daddy cum, and we'll let you." He grunted out, pushing hard thrusts into you.

You latched your lips onto Emily's clit, sucking and licking hard. She moaned, throwing her head back and pressing her hips into your face. You couldn't breathe, but you welcomed the slight burn from your lungs.

She started to rock her hips in time with Aaron's thrusts, "Oh god, Sir, your pet's mouth is so good. She's going to make me cum." She told him, moaning when you pushed your tongue into her entrance.

"Hold off, I want to cum with you." Aaron panted out, somehow speeding up his already fast thrusts. Each time his hips rammed into yours, you felt his tip hit your g-spot, sending a high pitched moan into Emily's cunt.

"Now, Sir, cum with me," Emily said through moans, leaning forwards again to grab your chest for stability.

You felt her walls contract around your tongue at the same time Aaron's cock twitched in your cut, pushing his cum deep inside of you.

They both sat still for a moment, not realizing that they had unintentionally given you another edge.

Aaron slowly pulled out of you, offering Emily a hand. She took it, only to climb back on the bed, in between your legs this time. He sat near your head, stroking one of his hands through your hair.

"Your Mistress is going to give you an orgasm." He told you, an eager smile spread across your face as you nodded happily.

"Color?" Emily asked from the foot of the bed.

"Green, fuck." You gasped, her tongue entering you as soon as you said the color.

She was sucking and using her tongue to pull out Aaron's cum from your cunt, crawling up to your face with her lips closed. Emily slowly connected her lips with yours, letting Aaron's salty cum drip into your mouth. She pushed her tongue into your mouth, swirling her tongue in the white liquid, before going back down to your core.

You let Aaron see his mess in your mouth, before happily swallowing the liquid with a moan. Emily connected her mouth to your clit, immediately drawing circles around the sensitive nub. You whimpered at the new pleasure, Aaron silencing you with a kiss.

He pressed his tongue into your mouth, tasting the remnants of himself on your tongue. When you moaned into his mouth, he started to make his way down your neck, sucking a dark mark right over your throat.

Emily, keeping her lips attached to your clit, pressed two fingers into your dripping cunt, curling them to brush against your sweet spot. You could feel her smile against you when you let out a high pitched moan, lifting your hips to meet the pace of her fingers.

"Oh god, Ma'am, that feels so good." You sighed, Aaron's lips wrapping around one of your sensitive nipples, "Thank you so much, Mistress. Thank you, Daddy." You moaned.

You canted your hips against Emily's face, your back arching into Aaron's touch. When Emily added a third finger, you screamed, "Yes, oh, yes. Mistress, I'm going to cum. Please let me cum."

She barely lifted her lips off of you, her voice sending pleasureful vibrations through your core, "Keep begging, and I'll think about it."

Your voice caught in your throat, Aaron's hand tugging your hair reminding you to speak, "Please, let me cum, Ma'am. I've been a good girl. I've been your good girl, Daddy. Please, p-please, I want to cum so bad. Please let me cum on your tongue, like your little whore, Mistress."

"You can cum whenever, slut." Aaron's rough voice spoke against your breast, and Emily sped up her ministrations.

She quickly pulled you over the edge. The combination of her fingers, mouth, and Aaron's mouth sending you into ecstasy. You moaned loudly, pulling at your restraints. Your hips bucked up into Emily's mouth, her movements never stopping.

You could feel yourself going into oversensitivity, her motions pulling another orgasm to the surface. When she switched her tongue to your entrance and pressed tight circles onto your clit, you felt a snap and a rush of liquid. You screamed, feeling your slick liquid dampen the bed beneath you.

Still, Emily didn't stop, trying you for a third. You couldn't take it, the pleasure turning to writhing pain. "Yellow!" You yelped, feeling her hands and mouth pull away from your body, Aaron did the same.

"Y/n?" Aaron immediately returned to your side, "Are you okay? What happened? Are you hurt?" He asked, starting to reach for the rope on your wrists.

"I'm okay, it was just too much for me. I couldn't take anymore." You panted, your weak hand grabbing your angry red wrist.

You saw a fearful and sad look on Emily's face, her hands shaking slightly, "Emily, I'm fine really. I just got really overstimulated and overwhelmed."

She nodded, carefully making her way back to your side.

"Aaron, I want to keep going." You said, taking her hand in yours and pulling her close to you.

"Y/n, I don't know. I don't want you to get hurt, and I don't want you to have to use a safe word again." He said hesitantly, already reaching for his boxers.

You sighed, "Aaron, I said yellow, which just meant slow down. I just needed a breather, a moment to rest. Really, I want to keep going." You told him, your voice even and calm.

Emily was gently stroking your hair, tucking the loose pieces behind your ear, "Emily, I want to keep going. You didn't hurt me." You connected her eyes with her, slowly leaning to press your lips against hers.

She was hesitant at first, barely breaking the tight seal of her lips. You lashed your tongue out, swiping against her bottom lip. Her shoulders started to relax, her hands finding your waist.

"I want you to fuck me with that pretty strap of your." You said into the kiss, trailing your lips down her neck, "And I want my Daddy's cock in my mouth while you do it." You turned your head to look at Aaron.

He was already starting to harden again, his dick starting to rise to attention. Emily excitedly jumped off the bed, and you were glad that she wasn't worried anymore. She quickly fastened her strap, slipping the pink dildo through the ring.

"I want you to warm it first." She said, pulling you off the bed, completely back in her domme persona.

You leaned forward to lick a stripe up the dildo, the manufactured veins running against your tongue. You wrapped your mouth around the tip, swirling your tongue. Emily ran her fingers through your hair, brushing the loose strands out of your eyes.

You gave her the most innocent look you could as you started to push yourself down the dildo, pulling as much of it into your mouth and throat as possible. She placed her hand firmly on the back of your head, pushing you further down. You felt tears sting your eyes and the slight burn from your lungs.

"You look so pretty like that, my pretty little whore." Emily praised you, and you contently hummed at her words, "You're doing so well, taking my cock like a good girl."

Her hand tightened in your hair, pulling you off the strap, "Get on the bed, like a good slut." She said, lifting you at your armpits, "Hands and knees, baby." She told you.

Aaron walked over, placing a chaste kiss on your lips, "You're doing great, princess."

You felt both ends of the bed dip as Emily and Aaron climbed onto the bed. Emily placed a hand on your lower back, pushing it down to arch your back. She had a vice-like grip on your hips with one hand, the other teasing your slit with the head of the dildo.

Aaron put a finger under your chin, tilting your head up to look at him. He gripped his shaft, smearing his precum on your lips. You darted your tongue out, licking the cum off your lips.

You felt Emily start to push into your entrance, slowly inching into your deep cunt. Aaron hooked his finger into your mouth, pulling your jaw open. You accepted his cock into your mouth, letting your jaw go slack.

Emily started at a generous pace, her hips connecting with your ass with every thrust. Aaron matched her pace, both of them bottoming out inside you. When Emily placed a firm slap on your ass, you whined around Aaron's cock in your mouth.

"Shut up, whore. Take it like a good little slut." Aaron snapped, pushing your head further down his shaft.

You felt Emily reach around your waist, her fingers drawing circles on your sensitive clit. Your hips bucked into her touch, moaning around Aaron.

"You're doing good, our good little girl." Emily cooed from behind you, still driving a bruising pace into your cunt. She placed three more slaps on to your ass, alternating between each cheek.

Aaron abruptly pulled out of your mouth, moving off the bed. He pushed your shoulders down, changing the angle that Emily was pushing into you.

A loud moan left your mouth, your hands fisting the sheets into balls. Emily used both her hands to spread your knees apart and then returned her hand back to your clit.

She kept thrusting her hips against yours, "I can tell how close you are. Are you going to cum around my cock?" Emily taunted, her tone airy and her breath heaving.

"Yes Ma'am, I'm going to cum all over your huge cock." You whined into the bed, your walls starting to flutter around her strap deep in your cunt.

"You can cum anytime you want, sweet girl," Aaron told you, fisting his cock as he watched you and Emily.

Emily spanked you four more times, the loud slaps ringing through the room. You whined at the sting of her hand on your ass.

Aaron gripped your hair, "Shut up and take it." He growled, pushing his cock back into your mouth.

He was already close, his dick twitching in your mouth. After three pumps into your throat, he released into your mouth. You eagerly swallowed his cum, letting the warm liquid slide down your throat.

"Good girl." He praised, stepping off the bed.

Emily's fingers were starting to dig crescents into your hips, her thrusts increasing.

The mixture of the pinch of her fingernails and the hard snap of her hips, pulled you close to the edge, "Mistress! Oh god, I'm going to cum!" You cried out, your hips bucking as you started to clench around her strap.

"You can cum, princess," Aaron told you, reaching to pinch your nipples brushing against the sheets.

Emily proceeds to draw circles on your clit, your walls clenching around Emily's cock. You moaned, any rigidity in your body releasing. Your orgasm roared up from your core, your vision going blurry and your eyes rolling back in your head.

"Oh god, I'm cumming Mistress! Thank you!" You screamed into the bedspread.

"Good girl, you're doing so well." She cooed, gently pulling you through your orgasm.

You slumped to the bed as she slowed down, whining as she gently pulled out of you. Aaron had already gotten a towel wet, immediately tending to your limp form on the bed.

He started with your face, wiping his and Emily's juices off your face. He moved to your thighs, gently cleaning them.

"I know, princess, I know. You're doing so good." He shushed you when you whined.

"Do you want to take a bath, baby?" He asked you, your head lazily nodding from the bed.

He went to fill the tub, and you saw Emily gathering her things. Even through your dazed state, you could see that she was planning on leaving.

"Emily, you don't have to go. You can join me in the bath if you want." You offered, reaching your hand out to her.

She set her bag down, walking over to grasp your hand, "Of course, y/n., anything you want." She gently picked you up off the bed, carrying you into the bathroom.

The water was hot, but you barely noticed, still floating from your orgasms. She climbed into the bath behind you, letting your head set against her chest. Aaron sat at the edge of the tub, gently stroking your hair. Emily's arms secured around your waist, drawing circles into your abdomen.

"You did such a good job, princess. I'm so proud of you." Aaron quietly told you, grabbing your hand in his.

"Thank you, Aaron. I love you." You said, lifting your head to kiss him. "I love you too, Emily."

"I know you do, baby." She responded with a laugh.

When the water started to cool off, Aaron lifted you out of the bath. He wrapped you in a towel, leaving you in Emily's arms while he grabbed your clothes.

He slipped a button-down over your shoulders, fastening a few buttons. Emily held you up while he pulled the sweatpants up your body.

Aaron scooped you into his arms, gently setting you on his bed.

"Emily you are more than welcome to stay, as long as you'd like." He told her, keeping one of his hands fastened around yours.

"Thank you, Aaron, but I'll let you guys have your privacy." He gave her an apprehensive look, "Really, I'm fine."

"Okay, at least let me drive you home." He offered.

"Aaron, really I'm fine. I'm more than capable to drive." She responded, sliding her dress back on.

"Are you sure?" She nodded in response, "Alright, I'll walk you out."

After a few minutes, he came back, a smile crossing his face when he saw you sprawled out on the bed.

He crawled into the bed next to you, pulling you against his warm body. You curled into his bare chest, his strong arms locking around your torso.

Aaron kissed the top of your head, "You did so well, princess. I love you so much."

"I love you too, my prince." You responded.

He drew circles on your lower back, sleep tugging at you. You moved your hand to his chest, his strong heartbeat pressing against your fingers.

You moved your ear directly over his heart, the gentle drumming lulling you to sleep.

The last thing you remember was Aaron's words, "I love you so much, y/n. More than you know." He whispered, a small smile spreading across your face.


	34. Chapter 34

In the month after the Alaska case, you and Aaron had been going strong. You started going on more dates, mostly casual, and you would occasionally stay the night at Aaron's.

You and Aaron started to develop a routine; you would talk to Aaron on the phone most nights after work. You knew that if you went over to Aaron's house, you wouldn't be able to bring yourself to leave. He started coming to your apartment more, being there helped you open up to him more. You felt comfortable in your house, spending a lot of late nights talking to Aaron, over the phone or otherwise.

On weekends, you and Aaron had a standing date. You both knew that some weeks you wouldn't be able to make it, but working together made it better. If one of you had to miss the date, then so did the other one.

There was one big improvement; you had started talking to Aaron about your torture, talking about what she did to you. He talked some about his experience, but mostly he listened. You were surprised at his ability to listen, sometimes you only talked for a few minutes. Other times you would talk for hours, but you rarely broke down.

-

It was mid-February, and a new case had come in. The team was headed to Los Angeles, there had been three murders in the span of two weeks. As the jet neared LA, everyone had started to wake up and gather their things. You and Aaron hadn't slept a wink, not able to stop talking to each other.

You loved listening to him talk, especially on the jet. He would keep his voice low, but not a whisper. You would let your head lay on his chest or shoulder, and his deep voice would rumble through your head. There was one thing that Aaron loved to talk about most; Jack. Aaron's admiration for that kid was endless. Which is the same for Jack; he views Aaron as his own personal superhero, taking out the bad guys so Jack can have a better and safer life.

You peeled yourself off Aaron when the jet landed, finally grabbing your bags. Your phone lit up with a notification from Emily, dozens of photos of you and Aaron talking and cuddling on the plane ride there.

_Y/n: Jeez Em, did you not sleep at all?_

_Emily: Sorry not sorry.... you guys looked so cute, I couldn't help it!_

You laughed at her text, quickly saving the images of you and Aaron before he could see. You slipped your phone back in your pocket and made your way off the jet.

-

The case ended pretty fast, but it was in no way a clean-cut case. The murders were being committed by a fan of the music artist, Dante. His manager coerced Gina, the friend of one of the victims, to kill people to help Dante's sales.

JJ had to spend the night in the hospital, only for observation. Gina had hit JJ over the head with a shovel when JJ figured out that it was her. The team had a free night in LA, Spencer keeping JJ company in the hospital.

"Are you sure, JJ?" Emily asked a final time, she didn't want to abandon her while she was hurt.

"Yes! You guys go have fun, I have Spencer here to bully." JJ told the team, waving her hand to usher the team out.

The team muttered 'okay's' and 'hope you feel better's' as they walked out of the room.

"Alrighty, what should we start with? Bar? Club?" Morgan said, turning to ask the rest of the team.

You looked at Aaron apprehensively, it was Saturday, and you were hoping that the free night would allow you and Aaron to go on your date. He squeezed your hand, telling you that he would get the two of you out of it.

"I see that look, y/n. Want some time alone with your man?" Morgan asked with a laugh and a wiggle of his eyebrows.

"Yes she does, we're going on a date," Aaron responded pointedly before you could. His words slapped the smug look of Derek's face.

"Fine, go have your dinner, but I want you home by ten." Rossi told the two of you, using his best fake dad voice, "And if you hurt her, I'll personally kill you." He poked a finger into Aaron's chest.

"Whatever." Aaron replied with a hearty laugh, something you hadn't heard for a while, "I can't promise ten, how about ten-thirty?" He said, starting to drag you away from the team.

"Keep your paws off her, son, that's an order," Dave said, giving the two of you a final wave.

You squeezed his hand tightly, "Please don't follow that order." You pleaded with a fake tone.

"Never, princess. I don't think I'd ever be able to keep my hands off you." He said, stopping to pull you into a kiss.

You were the first one to break the short kiss, pulling him toward the SUV.

"I was thinking we order some room service, and we eat in bed while watching a movie." He suggested, your eyes lighting up at his words.

"Sounds like a dream." You replied, placing another kiss on his lips.

-

Once you both made it back to the hotel, Aaron quickly ordered your food.

"Can I get two bowls of mac and cheese, two brownies, a bowl of vanilla ice cream, a bowl of chocolate ice cream, and a plate of french fries?" He said into the phone, looking over at you to wordlessly ask if you wanted anything else. You shook your head, grinning from ear to ear, "No, that'll be all, thank you."

You finally let out a laugh, slowly making your way over to him, "Not what I was expecting, but I like it." You told him through a laugh, lightly wrapping your arms around his shoulders.

"Mmm, and now we're going to get in our pj's and watch a movie." He hummed, snaking his arms around your waist and kissing the top of your head.

"Can I choose the movie?" Your voice was muffled from your face being pressed into his chest.

"Of course, princess." He responded, letting you slip out of his arms. You quickly grabbed your laptop, connecting it to the tv sitting in front of the bed.

While you were getting things situated, you heard a knock at the door, Aaron opening it and accepting the food.

"Aaron, close your eyes. I want it to be a surprise." Your voice carried through the room.

"Okay?" He said hesitantly, "They're closed."

You quickly cued up the movie, making sure that the title wasn't showing, "You're good now."

He brought the tray over, setting it on the bottom half of the bed. You quickly changed into your pajamas, shoving your dirty clothes back into your go-bag. Once both of you were clothed, you curled up at the head of the bed. Aaron carefully pulled the food closer, handing you a bowl of mac and cheese.

"Thank you, my prince." You said, accepting the food.

He kissed you gently, "Anything for my princess."

You grabbed the remote, pressing play and waiting for Aaron's reaction. When the title faded in, you saw a smile grow across his face. The song 'You've Got a Friend in Me.' started playing as the Toy Story 2 logo shone on the screen.

"Good choice?" You asked, snuggling into his warm side.

"Good choice." He confirmed, wrapping one arm around your waist.

You both ate the food slowly, watching the movie contently. Aaron insisted that you wait on the ice cream, putting it in the fridge to keep it cold. You jumped off the bed suddenly, quickly making your way around the bed. You grabbed the hand of a very confused Aaron and pulled him off the bed.

The song 'When She Loved Me' was playing, and even though it was kind of sad, you loved it. You hummed along, letting yourself melt into Aaron's arms wrapped around you.

Aaron gently swayed you, pulling you tightly into his arms. He wanted to tell you how much he loved you. The simple 'I love you' not being enough. He needed a way to express his feelings, words not seeming to be enough.

He pulled you even further into his arms, if that was possible, tucking his head into your neck. Aaron's thoughts were completely enveloped in you. Every nerve and muscle was trying to pour his love into you. He never wanted to move, never wanted to be without your touch, never wanted to be without you.

"I am so madly in love with you, y/n. I can't live without you, I can't lose you. You complete me, you make me whole. I want you, I want all of you." He started pouring out his feelings, breaking the silence. "Y/n, you are my everything, and I love you with every fiber of my being."

Somehow, while he was talking, he managed to hold you tighter in his arms.

"Aaron, I don't even know how to respond. I love you too. I love you so much. I love you, I love your kindness, I love your hugs, I love your morning breath, I love everything that is you." You told him, moving your head enough to connect your lips with his.

He pressed his lips against yours with an urgency and fervor, trying to find another way to show you how much he loved you. You matched his intensity, moving your hands to set on his chest and the back of his head. The hard pounding of his heartbeat pressed against your fingertips. His arms were around your waist, lifting you off the floor slightly.

You broke the kiss for a moment, "Aaron I'm in love with you, and I want to be with you and live with you and love you. I just need a little more time." You said, touching your forehead to his.

You yelped as he swept you off your feet and into his arms, holding you bridal style, "I will wait as long as you need, princess." He pressed his lips against yours again.

"Thank you." You broke the kiss to speak, "My prince." you wrapped your arms around his shoulders and sighed.

"Of course." He flopped back down on the bed, letting you curl up on top of him. He narrowly missed the empty tray, moving it further away once you both fell onto the bed.

You both watched from your laying position on the bed, your head laying on his chest. He had his arms wrapped protectively around your waist, murmuring 'I love you' every time he felt that surge in his chest. This was the first time he had ever had butterflies about a girl. He loved Haley, but not like this.

This love was different. It knocked the air out of his lungs and pulled his focus. Your scent alone would distract him, your distant voice in the bullpen would bring him out of his thoughts. You cleared his head and muddled it at the same time. You felt like a breath of fresh air, you made him feel seen and safe. He could get completely lost in you and would have no hesitation.

Your voice saying his name pulled him out of his thoughts, "Aaron? Can we have the ice cream now?" You asked him, and he finally noticed that the movie had ended.

"I completely forgot. Yes, we can, baby." He shifted you off his chest, quickly grabbing the two bowls of chocolate ice cream.

He sat back down on the bed, handing you the cold bowl of vanilla ice cream. You went to eat, but he stopped you again.

"Wait, princess." He said, a whine leaving your throat at his words.

He scooped up a spoonful of ice cream, holding it up to your face, "Now you can eat."

You wrapped your mouth around the spoon, licking the chocolate dessert off the spoon. After he retracted his spoon, you did the same. Scooping a generous amount of ice cream into the spoon and moving it to his face.

You both giggled the entire time, slowly emptying the bowls. When you kissed him, he tasted like vanilla and the faintest hint of coffee. Sometimes you would scoop chocolate ice cream out of his bowl and give it to him, and he did the same with the vanilla you were holding.

"I love you so much, Aaron Christopher." You told him breathlessly, finally cuddling into his side after a long night of laughing.

"I love you too, y/f/n y/l/n. More than I know how to say." He responded, pulling you against his body. He kissed the top of your head, letting you burrow your face into his neck.

You fell asleep on his chest, the circles being drawn on your back forcing your heavy eyes closed.


	35. Chapter 35

When the team made it back from LA, you ended up going home with Aaron. It was a little afternoon, so he picked up some Italian food on the drive to his house. You could tell by his body language, that he wanted to talk about something.

"Aaron? What's wrong?" You asked him from the passenger seat, the warm food sitting in your lap.

"Hmm? Oh, nothing. There's just something I want to talk to you about when we get back to my house." He responded nonchalantly.

You didn't press the subject any further, knowing that he would talk to you when he was ready.

Ever since his proclamation of love, he couldn't keep his hands off you. At the least, he would keep his pinky locked with yours. His favorite thing to do was to stand behind you and wrap his arms around your waist, tucking his chin into your neck. The team was unfazed, they're used to your PDA, although they definitely noticed Aaron's _need_ to touch you.

The entire car ride, Aaron kept his hand on your thigh. His pointer finger was tracing his name into your soft flesh. You, wanting to be touching him as well, grazed your hand down his arm, lacing your fingers through his. You heard a content hum from Aaron, his hand tightening around your thigh and your fingers. Jack was at a sleepover, and wouldn't be home.

When Aaron parked the car, he walked around like he always does, and opened your door. He took the food off your lap and offered you his hand. He was still being oddly quiet, but you didn't mind. He set the food down in the kitchen and then turned to face you.

"I'm sorry if I freaked you out, I just got lost in thought." He apologized, grabbing your hands in his.

"Aaron, it's fine. Can we talk about it? You seem like you want to say something." You asked, stepping closer to him.

"I do, I just don't want you to feel like I'm pressuring you to do something you don't want to do." He ducked his head as he spoke.

Your voice softened, "Well, there's no way to know unless you say it. I promise I'll tell you if I'm uncomfortable."

"I wanted to give you a key to my house, and give you a drawer in my dresser. If you wanted, I would ask you to move in, but I know you're not ready for that." He finally told you, still keeping eye contact with the floor.

You weren't sure why that little question was eating him up so much. It made sense, you had made quite the show when you left his house last time. "Aaron, I would love that. It's a natural step, and it doesn't make me uncomfortable." You told him, moving your hand to cup his face.

"I understand why you were hesitant, and I'm glad that you don't want to rush me." You gave him a small kiss.

He kissed you back gently, "I was going to ask in LA, but I was worried that I was going to overwhelm you."

"Thank you, Aaron. I would love to have a key, and a drawer." You kissed him again, "You've given me a lot of time and space over the past month, and it's helped a lot. I'm doing better, and I'm ready to start moving forward."

He excitedly turned around, opening and shuffling through a drawer. Holding the key you used to use, he quickly made his way back to you. He placed the cool metal in your palm, "I love you, y/n."

"I love you too, Aaron." You told him, "Let's eat lunch."

-

A few hours after you ate, Aaron was practically begging to go to your apartment and gather things for your drawer.

"Aaron, we can do it another day, I just want to stay here with you." You looked into his pleading eyes.

"Pleaseeeee?" He asked for the fifth time, jutting his lip out.

You reached to lightly grab chin, "I told you no, we can do it after work tomorrow. We're going to stay here, and we're going to cuddle."

"Okay." He huffed, nuzzling his face further into your abdomen. His torso was laying in between your legs, his arms wrapped around your waist.

"If you stop with the attitude, I might let you do more than cuddle. Only if you stop acting like a brat." You said, running your fingers through his hair and tugging lightly.

He whimpered slightly, not expecting the painful pull on his short locks. Ever since the Alaska case, and he had that wet dream, you had been waiting for the perfect time to dominate him. Seeing that he was practically putty in your hands at the moment, you decided that it was the perfect opportunity.

"I'm sorry." His voice muffled into your shirt.

You pulled his hair again, forcing him to look at you, "Address me properly, slut."

"I'm sorry, Mistress." He averted his eyes from yours after speaking.

"Good boy." You responded, letting your fingers card through his hair again. He wiggled a bit against you, shifting his head closer to yours.

For a moment you thought that he was going to kiss you, but when he stopped after moving a few inches, you realized his true destination. He had laid his head directly in between your breasts, letting his wide torso completely cover yours.

You giggled lightly at his new position, letting your hands run up and down his spine. There was something so calming yet exciting about being in control. Knowing that he would do virtually anything you would ask.

"Aaron?" You spoke, he hummed lowly in response, "Do you want to try somethings tonight?"

He went silent for a moment. Deep down he knew that you wouldn't judge him for anything he wanted to explore, but he still hesitated.

"We don't have to do anything, but I thought I would offer." You said, reading his silence.

"No!" He said quickly, "I want to do things, I just don't know what I want to do." He told you meekly, not moving his head to look at you.

"Okay, okay. But, that means we're going to have to talk about what you want to do." You ran your fingers through his hair again, trying to keep him calm.

He said something quietly, but your chest completely muffled his words. Your hand moved to cup his face, turning his head towards yours.

"I need you to speak up, sweet boy." Your warm eyes boring into his.

"Iwanttotryanal." He spit out in under a second, a deep blush spreading across his face.

You tightened your hand in his hair, "Speak nice and clearly, or we're not doing anything." Your teeth were clenched together slightly.

"I want to try anal." He told you, trying to turn his face from yours. The flush on his face spread to his neck and chest, and up to the tips of his ears.

"Aaron, that is completely normal and natural. I am more than willing to do that for you." You told him, bringing his face closer to yours.

You kissed him lightly, feeling his body shimmy up yours, his hips setting on yours.

Breaking the kiss, you spoke, "Well, how about we go to the bedroom? We're going to start slowly."

He excitedly jumped off the couch, quickly making his way to his room. You knew that he had a large collection of sex toys, but you weren't sure if he had everything you needed. You walked into the room, seeing him perched on the edge of the bed.

Ignoring him completely, you made your way over to his bottom dresser drawer and unlocked it with the key. Your eyes lit up at the sight, he had five different sized anal plugs as well as other toys. You grabbed a small vibrating plug and a large bottle of lube.

When you turned back to face Aaron, his eyes widened at the things in your hands. Seeing his expression, you spoke, "I told you we're going to take this slowly, but I want to be prepared. We probably won't use everything."

He nodded, "Okay."

"The most important thing during this is communication, if you feel any pain you _have_ to tell me." You told him with a serious tone, "How about you strip and get comfortable."

You left him alone, taking the two toys you grabbed to the bathroom. You knew that he kept everything clean, but you wanted to make sure. You quickly washed both toys, drying them on a clean towel.

When you reentered the bedroom, Aaron was laying on the bed, a large boner stuck in the confines of his boxers.

"I thought I told you to strip, baby." You said with a sigh.

He quickly lifted his hips and pulled his boxers off his body, his boner slapping against his stomach. You approached the bed, setting the items in your hands on the bedside table.

Sliding onto the bed, you straddled his lap, his hands gluing to your waist.

"Nuh-uh, prince. You can't touch without permission." You told him, slapping his hands off your body.

He whined, but obeyed, keeping his hands at his side.

You leaned in, connecting your lips with his, immediately pressing your tongue into his mouth. He moaned into the kiss, feeling your hands graze his abdomen. You never kept your hands in one spot, moving them to his shoulders, jaw, neck, waist, hips, hair.

Out of the corner of your eye, you could see Aaron's hands fisting the sheets, struggling to stay in their place. You moved your mouth down his neck, sucking light marks into his throat. When you reached his pulse point, you sucked with more fervor, a moan ripping through Aaron's chest.

Pulling back for a moment, you admired your handy work, a few light red marks and one very dark purple mark on his neck. Leaning back in, you worked down from his neck, kissing his chest. Experimentally, you flicked the pad of your thumb over his right nipple.

He moaned and arched his back at the touch, pressing his chest into your hand. Grinning at his response, you moved your mouth down to his nipple. You drew a circle around his hardened bud, not giving in to what he wanted. When he moaned again, you felt his hands return to your waist.

You immediately grabbed his hands, pinning them above his head, "No touching, little boy." You breathed with a grin.

He whined, struggling against your grip, but the whine turned into a moan when you reconnected your lips to his nipple. You sucked on it lightly, feeling his chest push against your mouth.

You started to make your way up to his ear, nibbling on his earlobe. He groaned, his hands pushing against yours again.

"Please, let me touch you." His high pitch whine was in your ear.

"Hmm... Have you been good my sweet?" You asked him, moving your lips down his jaw.

He bucked his hips slightly, "Yes. Yes, I have. Please, I want to touch you. Please let me" He begged, pulling against your grip.

"Fine. Go ahead and touch me, my prince." You let your hot breath fan against his neck and your hands disconnect from his wrists.

Immediately, his hands found your hips. He made you roll your hips against his boner, a groan leaving his mouth. You grinned against his neck, letting out a breathy laugh.

"What do you say that we get started?" You asked him, starting to climb off his body. He nodded eagerly, waiting for your further instruction.

"I want you to get on your hands and knees, baby." You watched him comply, his back arching and his ass rising in the air.

You grinned at him, grabbing the bottle of lube off the nightstand. You pour a generous amount of lube onto fingers, coating them.

"You're going to feel my fingers, I'm just putting some lube on." You told him, starting to apply more lube to his asshole.

He gasped at the slight pressure, pushing his hips back, "Easy there, we'll get there." You grabbed his hips to steady him.

"Are you okay if I try a finger?" You asked him, watching his head nod quickly. "I need some words, baby. I need to hear verbal confirmation for this."

"Yes, you can." He said, trying to push his hips back again.

You grinned, starting to gently push your fingertip in. He immediately clenched around your finger. "I need you to relax, sweetie." You stopped moving your finger, waiting for him to relax. After a moment, he did, and you continued to slowly push your finger in. Once you made it to your knuckle, he let out a sinful moan and bucked his hips.

"You're doing so good." You told him, starting to move your finger in and out slowly. He arched his back and moaned again.

You slightly curled your finger, lightly grazing his prostate. He clenched around your finger, screaming out in pleasure.

"Such a good little whore." You cooed, "Are you ready for another?"

"Y-yes, Ma'am." He stuttered out through a moan.

You make sure that there was more than enough lube on your middle finger before starting to push it into his tight hole. He immediately pushed back, your two fingers slipping into him quickly. He moaned and rolled his hips.

You moved your fingers in and out, starting to slowly speed up your pace. He mewled with every thrust, starting to circle his hips in time with your hand. Deciding that he was more than ready, you slowly pulled your fingers out.

Aaron whined loudly, craning his neck to look at you. "Don't worry, baby. I'm just getting a toy." You said, watching his eyes widen when you grabbed the vibrating plug.

"Aaron? Are you okay with this? I can go back to just my fingers?" You said, seeing his reaction.

"I want to, I really do." He said, wiggling his ass slightly.

You nodded, starting to cover the plug with lube, "This is going to feel different, and I'm going to start with no vibration until you're used to it." You told him, watching him nod. "Do you want to be on your back for this? I don't want you to fall."

He moved slowly, rolling onto his back. He could see you now, watching you roll the plug in your hand. The lube alone was making obscene noises. You lined the toy up with his hole, looking up at him as you slowly pushed it in.

He started moaning and writhing, the stretch and the subtle burn increasing the pleasure. When the toy nestled into him perfectly, he let out a small whimper, missing the movement but enjoying the pressure.

You crawled up to his face, placing a light kiss on his lips, "You're doing so good, baby. I'm so proud of you." You told him, brushing his hair out of his eyes.

He fawned at the praise, a smile spreading across his face. You moved back down in between his legs, letting your hand wrap around his ignored and angry cock. His hips bucked into your hand and he screamed out, the shifting plug pressing into his prostate.

You let go of his cock, seeing his impending release. You moved your hand to press a button, turning on the vibration in the plug. He moaned out, a new word falling from his lips.

"Mommy!" His eyes were screwed shut, but they immediately shot open with fear. The word sent a shock to your core, a warm pool forming in between your thighs. He started to apologize, but you cut him off.

"Aaron, Aaron, Aaron it's _okay._ I liked it." You told him, rubbing your hand on his thigh.

"You should say it again." Your voice husky and low.

You turned up the vibration to a higher setting, taking his mind off of what he said. You wrapped your hand around his cock, the leftover lube slicking his cock. He started to buck his hips and moan, on the verge of an orgasm.

"Mommy! I'm going to cum, please let me, please!" He started begging, but you had no intention of making him wait. You wanted this to be as pleasurable for him as it could be.

"You can come, angel." You told him, and that's all he needed to release.

Hot ropes of cum shot out onto his chest and stomach, Aaron moaning your name as he came. You whispered sweet nothings as he rode out his orgasm, keeping a watchful eye on him. You didn't want him to go into too much oversensitivity. When you saw tears spring into his eyes and his hips start to buck more violently, you started to slowly ease off the vibration, trying to prolong his pleasure.

His chest was heaving heavily, a sheen of sweat covering his face. You could tell he was floating in post-orgasm hormones, practically drowning in them more accurately.

"Aaron?" You spoke softly, "I'm going to start taking the plug out, it might feel a little weird."

"Wait," He finally spoke.

"Can I leave it in for a bit?" He asked, quietly, trying to bury his face in the pillow under his head.

"Of course you can, baby, but we need to take it out before you fall asleep." You told him, moving to grab a washcloth to clean him up. You quickly cleaned him up, before climbing into the bed with him. You let him wrap around you, nestling his head into your lap. You stroked his hair, making sure that he didn't fall asleep.

It probably wouldn't hurt to leave it in, but you didn't want to leave it in for too long. When you saw his eyelids start to droop, you made him roll onto his stomach. You started to pull out the plug, hearing him whine at the loss of pressure. You quickly went into the bathroom, thoroughly washing the toy.

When you went back into the room, he was curled up on the bed. His eyes were barely open, his arms reaching for you. You let him curl into you, his body resting on yours.

"You did so good, baby boy. I'm so proud of you." You praised him, placing a kiss on his forehead.

"Thank you, y/n. Thank you for doing this." His voice muffled into your neck.

"Of course, Aaron. You really did amazing." You told him, placing a gentle kiss on his lips.

"I love you, my prince." You said, kissing him on the top of his head.

"I love you too, princess." He mumbled, letting sleep finally pull at him.


	36. Chapter 36

The next day, Aaron eagerly awaited for work to end. He was very excited to stop by your apartment, to grab a few things. It was so weird, watching him practically bounce in his seat. After the full workday, he dragged you out of the office and drove you to your apartment.

"Aaron, you do realize that I'm just grabbing some clothes, shoes, and toiletries, right? And they're just going in a drawer in your house?" You asked, watching his leg bounce as he drove.

"I do, I'm just excited. I like having your things at my house." He responded, moving your hand up to his mouth to kiss the back of it.

You smiled at the gesture, squeezing his hand in yours, "Okay, but it'll only take me ten minutes max." He nodded at your words, keeping his eyes on the road.

Once at your apartment, you walked straight to your room, Aaron following you like a lost puppy. You grabbed a bag and opened your closet. The action of packing a bag to take to Aaron's was very reminiscent of when he left the hospital, although this was a much happier occasion.

You grabbed a handful of different clothes; work appropriate, pajamas, casual attire, and a few date-worthy dresses. As you were picking out your clothes, Aaron had his hands attached to your hips, trailing behind you. You grabbed various undergarments, ranging from boring and grey to lacy and barely defined as clothing at all. His hands tightened on your body as he watched you grab various lace pieces.

In the bathroom, you gathered toiletries and put them in a separate bag. Lastly, you grabbed a phone charger and your makeup. He grabbed your bags, forcing you to let him carry them.

When he pulled up to his house, he jumped out to open your door. He gathered you and your bags into his arms, carrying you to his door. You yelped when he first picked you up, it had been a while since he had done it.

In his bedroom, he excitedly helped you put your things in the drawer he emptied for you. At some point, you stopped helping, standing back to watch him organize your clothes in the drawer. It took him a while, but he eventually noticed that you weren't working anymore.

"Why'd you stop?" He asked, walking over to wrap his arms around your neck.

"No reason, you just looked so cute. All giddy and excited to put my stuff in." You told him, leaning in to kiss him lightly.

He smiled against your mouth, "Oh, okay. Well, I got everything in there." Aaron said into the kiss.

-

It had been almost two months since you and Aaron filled your drawer, and you had started regularly staying with him and Jack on the weekends. It hurt you every Monday night, going home to your cold and empty apartment. You would send Aaron texts, or you could call him and talk for hours.

You realized about two weeks into spending weekends with Aaron, that you longed to be with him 24/7. You would eat lunch with him in his office, you would go on early morning coffee dates, and late-night walks in the park. You were so in love with him, that every time you had to separate, your thoughts were only on him.

Things were no different for Aaron. He refused to wash his sheets, not wanting to rid them of your perfume. He would eagerly await lunch each day, just waiting for you to join him in his office. Aaron loved when you would get greasy fast food with him, and eat it in his car.

He loved that when it started raining, you wouldn't run for shelter, but instead, you would pull him into a kiss. You would splash around in puddles, screaming and laughing, not a care in the world. You would drag him through a parking lot, stomping in every little pool of water you could find. Then he would take you to his house, strip you, and take a hot shower to wash off the cold from the rain.

Aaron wanted to ask you to move in, as much as you wanted to ask to move in. He didn't want to rush you, and you didn't want to come on too strong. You also feared the rejection, that you were suddenly moving too fast and he wasn't ready.

After two months, early April, you found yourself talking to Rossi about it. He knew Aaron the best, only second to you.

"I don't want to sound desperate, but I also can't stand being away from him anymore." You told Dave, accepting the glass of expensive whiskey. You carefully flopped onto his couch with a huff. It was late in the night, Aaron working in his office.

"Well, if that's what you're worried about, you should just go ask him now." Rossi sat down next to you.

You rolled your eyes, which he caught, "I'm not kidding, y/n. I've seen the way he looks at you. He never looked at Haley like that or Beth. I don't think I've ever seen him this happy." Dave said, taking a long sip from his glass.

"You're telling me that if a girlfriend of five months asking to move in wouldn't scare you off?" You asked, only getting a scoff in return, "Oh right, _Mr. Sixteen Marriages_ , you probably keep your doors unlocked at night in case there's a willing woman that stumbles through."

"Alright, let's get one thing straight; I've only been married three times, and one barely counted." He plucked the glass out of your already tipsy hand.

"Whatever." You said with a bubbly giggle.

"Well, I wouldn't recommend talking about it now. You're drunk." Dave suggested.

You sat up quickly, your head spinning, "I am _not_ drunk. I'm tipsy. And we both know I'm probably not going to say anything."

"Well, if he doesn't drive you home, I will." He told you, patting your shoulder.

After a few minutes, Aaron walked over to Rossi's office, seeing you doubled over in a drunken laugh. He stopped before you saw him, drinking in the sight of you. A smile cracked his rough work frown, trying to burn the image into his mind. Deciding to take a quick picture of you and Dave giggling in his office.

"Hey, you ready to go?" He greeted Rossi, before addressing you.

You reached toward him, "Yess, vvery much" Your words slurred slightly.

Giving Dave an apologetic look, he bent down and picked you up by the waist. He was just going to throw you over his shoulder, but you wrapped your legs around his torso before he could get you up. He threw another apologetic glance to Rossi, pulling your loose skirt over your slightly exposed ass.

"I'll get you another bottle of whiskey, to replace what she drank." You heard him say, but you were too distracted by running your hands through his hair.

"It's fine, Aaron. She only drank a few glasses, and I offered it to her." Rossi waved his hand, dismissing Aaron's offer.

Aaron carried you out of the BAU, keeping you in his arms in the elevator. You were humming an incoherent song, drawing your name on his shoulder with your finger. He couldn't help but laugh and smile at your drunken state, you didn't drink a lot, and he enjoyed seeing this side of you.

"Aaronnn," You whined, "I need to ask you something, but _Dave_ says 'I'm too drunk'" You told him, the strong alcohol having more of an effect on you than you expected.

He laughed, the sound like music to your ears, "Then, maybe you should wait till morning." He offered, starting to carry you to his car.

You perked up in his arms, "Are we going to your house??" You asked him, excitedly.

"Mhmm, I don't want you alone this drunk." He said, plopping you into the passenger seat and buckling you in.

"Yayyyyy." You breathed in a high pitch sigh, your head lolling to one side.

The drive was eventful, the crackers in Aaron's car soaked up some of the alcohol you consumed. You would crank the music up, bob your head for a few minutes, and then turn it back down. You rolled your window down and stuck your head out until Aaron grabbed your shirt and pulled you back in. At some point, you started to pull your clothes off, discarding them on the floorboard. Aaron stopped you before you could get your skirt and shirt off, which made you pout.

You turned the heat up, the car heating up quickly, "Ugh, why is it so HOT?!" You yelled, watching Aaron turn the knob back down. You howled at his action, your head bumping into the dash as you doubled over in laughter.

You don't remember him getting back to his house, or him carrying you into his house.

You woke up the next morning, grateful that it was Saturday and you didn't have to go to work. Luckily, you only had a minor headache, but your mouth was ungodly dry. There was a bottle of water on Aaron's bedside table, which you grabbed and quickly gulped down. You felt Aaron shift, pulling you back into his embrace.

"Good morning, princess." He had been awake for a while, waiting for you to wake up, "How's your head?"

"Good morning, my head is surprisingly okay." You told him, snuggling into his warm body.

He hummed, "That's good, you had quite the night."

Your eyes widened in fear, "I did?" You asked timidly.

"Mhmm. After you tried to strip in my car, along with other things, you fell asleep. When I got home, I brought you in and laid you on the couch, hoping that I could get a few things situated before carrying you to bed." He started to recount your night.

"You woke up again when I was carrying you to my bedroom, and you insisted on _'giving me a show'_ " He told you, your eyes widening in fear. "You proceeded to, drunkenly, strip your clothes off. By the time you got your shoes off, you were laying on the floor. You fell asleep with your face in the carpet and your ass in the air, one shoe on and your bra unhooked but still on." He finished, your face lighting up with embarrassment.

You hid your face in his neck, groaning, "Oh god, I did that? I was hoping it was a bad dream."

"Yep. You asked me to film it and send it to Spencer, but for your sober self, I did neither." He told you with a low laugh.

You tried to bury your face deeper, your blush spreading to the tips of your ears, "I'm so sorry Aaron, I really didn't want you to see me like that."

"It's fine, y/n. Really, it is. I promise that I'm not judging. Plus, you're very cute when you're drunk." He brushed your hair out of your face.

"You also mentioned something about asking me a question, but Rossi advised against it?" He asked, trying to pry your head out of his neck.

Your jaw dropped in horror, "I did? Did I? Well, must have been drunk me rambling." You tried to brush the subject away.

"You sure? There was a moment in the car when you brought it up again. You almost asked it, thinking that I wasn't me. I guess you realized because next thing I knew you had your head out the window." He told you, your chest filling with butterflies.

_Well, y/n. Now's a good time to ask, considering that you almost asked last night. Drunk words are sober thoughts, ya' know._

"I, uhh. I, well, the question is-" You started to stutter through your words, not knowing how to ask the question.

"Iwanttomoveinwithyou." You said quickly, keeping your eyes on your hands.

You heard his breath hitch, and that didn't do anything to calm your nerves, "You, wait. Did you just say you want to move in with me?" He asked excitedly, grabbing your face to look at him.

You nodded your head in his hands, nerves still racing through your body.

He pulled you into a bruising kiss, wrapping his arms around your torso. You shifted to straddle him, his hands moving to your ass.

You broke to kiss for a moment, "I take that as a yes?" You laughed, your lips still brushing against his.

"Yes, yes, yes! I don't think I could ever tell you no." He exclaimed before pushing his lips back against yours.

There was a new flutter in your chest. It felt so good, it felt like progress. For the past few months, you felt like Briza still had a hold on you. She was always in your head, influencing decisions and keeping you from what you want. It felt like you were finally breaking free of her terrible hold.

"I love you, Aaron Christopher." You breathed into the kiss, the weight on your shoulders lifting.

"I love you, y/f/n y/m/n." He said against your lips, pulling your body against his.

You continued kissing, his hands exploring your body while your hands threaded through his hair. You could stay there forever, your body molded to his, locked in a kiss for eternity. However, Aaron's phone ringing pulled you out of the moment.

He grabbed his phone off the nightstand and answered it, "Hotchner."

You, on the other hand, didn't stop your movements. You worked your lips down his neck, hearing a slight hitch in his words as he spoke to someone on the other end of the line. He tried to brush you off, but his body betrayed him. If he really wanted you to stop, he probably wouldn't keep an iron grip on your waist.

"Well, if you have a case, then I need my whole team." You heard him say, which pulled you out of your trance. You watched him listen to the other person, an odd expression on his face.

"We work as a team, as you may know. It's either all of us or none of us." He said, using his unit chief voice.

"Okay, I'll come and assess it. If I see a need for the BAU, I will bring my team out. I will let you know that I will be bringing one of my team members." Your eyes lit up, excited for a trip alone with Aaron.

"I'll see you in a few hours." He hung up, giving you a sad look. "We've probably got a case, in Dallas, Texas." He told you, letting his head rest on the headboard.

"Hey, it's okay. We get to go down, alone, on a jet. And assess a case. If there's a case then we call the team, if not we get _another_ lonely jet ride." You kissed him again.

He groaned, rolling you off his body and standing up, "That's true, wheels up in thirty." He said it like you were at work and he was talking to the team.

You mimicked him, _"Wheels up in thirty."_ In a low grumbly voice, your face contorted and your eyebrows scrunched.

"Shut up, it's a habit." He hollered from the closet, already pulling on suit pants. You excitedly grabbed clothes from your drawer, which was still filled with your clothes. Something about getting to wear clothes from the drawer made you so happy.

_Now I'll only get clothes from here._

_Oh. My. God. I'm moving in with Aaron Christopher Hotchner. That's something I never thought I'd say, but I'm so glad I get to say it. Or well, think it._

Once you were both dressed, you headed to the office to grab a few things and headed to the airstrip.

"What's the case?" You finally asked Aaron, laying your head in his lap on the couch of the jet.

"Corporate Executives are being murdered. They're poisoned, and it looks like it's a call girl. There's been Viagra and condoms in the hotel rooms, and each man had a large cash withdrawal hours before he was killed." He told you, stroking his fingers through your hair.

"Wow."


	37. Chapter 37

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger Warning: Mentions of Rape and Attempted Sexual Assault

The jet ride was about four hours, and it was fairly smooth. You and Aaron mostly cuddled on the couch, his fingers combing through your hair. You felt his unoccupied hand set on your chest, his fingertips tracing the scars under your collarbone. The touch was light, almost unrecognizable, the movement running over each letter.

When you landed, you sleepily gathered your bags and walked off the plane. The Texas air was dry and hot, sweat immediately pooling along your hairline.

There was an SUV waiting for you and Aaron, no doubt holding the Attorney General of Texas, Patrick Johnson. Aaron had gotten a direct call from him, the General hoping that he could keep the murders from the press.

"Mr. Johnson, it's a pleasure," Aaron said as he climbed into the car after you.

"You too Agent Hotchner, I just wish we weren't meeting under these circumstances." Patrick Johnson replied, gesturing to the driver to start driving.

"At the request of the men's lawyers, discretion is appreciated and advised. I doubt the bureau would like to deal with lawsuits." Mr. Johnson told Aaron, completely ignoring you.

You were used to it, at one point you were used to it from Aaron, but it was still off-putting. Patrick barely acknowledged that you were there until Aaron introduced you.

"Mr. Johnson, this is my colleague Agent y/l/n. She will be helping me with the initial assessment of the case, and judging whether the rest of my team will be needed." Aaron said, puffing his chest out. You were used to that too, his need to assert dominance over other dominant men.

"Nice to meet you, Mrs. y/l/n," Patrick responded, his words leaving a bad taste in your mouth.

"Agent." You told him coolly.

"Right, nice to meet you, _Agent_." He corrected himself, and you caught his eye roll.

The driver took the three of you to the hotel where the last victim was found. There was an odd tension in the car, Aaron's hand set possessively on your thigh. Every time the Attorney General spoke, his hand would tighten on your leg.

The few times that Mr. Johnson addressed you, Aaron's hand would twitch on your leg. You knew that he was acting weird because he loves you, but it still made you feel like he thought you couldn't defend yourself.

You were ready, and more likely than Aaron, to slap the shit out of Patrick if needed. He was one of the examples of why you distrust men, Aaron being one of the exceptions. Even then, Aaron worked hard to build and uphold your trust.

The hotel where the second victim was found, is also where you and Aaron were staying. Every now and then, the bureau would allow the team to stay at a nicer hotel. Other times, you would shack up in some dirty motel.

"Since Agent y/l/n and I will be staying here, I'm going to check our bags and I will join the two of you up in the room," Aaron told the Attorney General, grabbing your bags from the back of the car.

"Can't Agent y/l/n check you in? I asked for _your_ help after all." Patrick said, his gaze running down your form and landing on your completely covered chest.

Aaron saw his gesture, stepping in front of you, "I will have you know that Agent y/l/n is more than able of profiling a killer, _alone_. She is _the most_ proficient and capable Agent I have ever worked with, so if you don't mind, I will go check our bags while you take my Agent up to the crime scene."

He said sternly, his hand clenching tightly at his side. You couldn't have said it better yourself, and you knew that he would have said it no matter your relationship status. Aaron always defended his team, no matter what the circumstance was.

Patrick wilted under his harsh stare, "Right, sorry Agent. I'll take her up now." His voice was high and squeaky.

You gave Aaron a small smirk, following Mr. Johnson to an elevator. He gave you a nod, walking over to the check-in desk.

The elevator was full of uncomfortable tension, Mr. Johnson standing too close to you. The first time you felt his hand graze your ass, you hoped that it was an accident. The second time, his full hand pressed flat against your ass. His fingers and thumb quickly dug into your flesh, placing a hard squeeze. For a moment, you felt fear fill your chest before imaginable rage took over. 

You quickly turned around, backing him against the wall and pressing your forearm against his throat.

"Fucking touch me again, you son of a bitch, and I'll do something a lot worse than get you fired." You spat in his face, his face turning red with a lack of oxygen.

"S-sorry, Agent." He sputtered, trying to worm away from your intense stare and iron-like grip.

"Damn right you are." You pressed more pressure against his throat, "You so much as _look_ at me again, I'll gut you like a pig." You turned and walked out of the elevator, making your way to the crime scene.

-

After you and Aaron gave your assessment and called the team, you finally settled into your hotel room.

You had decided to wait to tell Aaron about Patrick, saving Aaron from getting arrested for assault. The second Aaron knew he would explode. You couldn't keep this from him, but you wanted to at least wait until you were in a semi-controlled environment.

"What's been up with you today, y/n? When I got up to the crime scene, you were acting weird. And Johnson looked like he was going to pee himself." He asked you, sitting down on the side of the bed with a sigh.

"I don't want you to explode, and I'm as mad about it as you will be." You started to tell him, his face contorting with confusion, "Johnson, well... He kind of tried to grab my ass in the elevator."

It took him a moment to process your words, confusion spreading across his face. The confusion soon turned to anger. Aaron's hands balled into fists and his face went red, he shot off the bed grabbing his jacket and gun.

"Aaron? Where are you going?" You asked, grabbing his shoulder to stop him.

"I'm going to kill that son of a bitch." He managed to grumble, his anger rolling off him in waves. He started to grab a room key, and turn towards the door.

"No, you're not. You're going to stay here, and comfort me." You carefully grab the gun from his hands.

He huffed, dropping his jacket on the ground in heap, "The next time I see him, I'm going to rip his fucking head off."

"I know, I'm mad too Aaron. I really don't want you getting arrested on assault charges, much less getting convicted of murder." You lead him back to the bed, pulling him down on top of you.

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?" He asked, moving to spoon you.

You sighed, taking a moment to think, "Well, first off I knew that you would react like that. Second, I- I didn't want you to think less of me." Your voice dropped and shook as you finished speaking.

"Why would I think less of you? You think that some bastard groping you in an elevator, where you had no escape, would make me think less of you?" He asked, keeping his hands respectfully on yours.

"I don't know..." You said quietly, "I'm used to the misogyny, and the blatant undermining. I've experienced it all my life, but this was different. I've never been violated like that." Your voice stayed oddly even and calm as you spoke.

"I'm so sorry that I left you alone with him, I should have realized that he wasn't going to leave you alone." He apologized, his thumb rubbing against the back of your hand.

"It's not your fault, Aaron. It was just the wrong day to be a woman, I guess." You say with a sad chuckle.

You knew that dark humor was a bad coping mechanism, but it was better than a breakdown in the middle of a case.

"Y/n, this isn't your fault. You shouldn't have to be afraid every time a man looks at you weird." He said, moving his hand to set on your waist, but stopped before he got there. You watched his hand move back to yours, grabbing it tightly.

"Aaron, you can touch me. I'm not going to break. I promise I'm fine, a little shook up, but really fucking pissed off. We can't really even press charges, he'd win in any court. Any man would." You sighed, knowing that you really couldn't do a thing besides punching his teeth in.

"That can't be true, y/n. If you want to do something, I will make sure that he gets what he deserves." Aaron moved his hand to your waist, gripping tightly.

"There's no legal way to do that. You used to be a lawyer, I can't believe that you don't know this. The first question I would get asked would be what I was wearing. As if my clothing affects a man's decision as if women don't get attacked daily, wearing sweatpants and a hoodie." Your voice rose with anger and you shot out of the bed, trying to rid the anger pulsing through your body.

He followed you out of bed, trailing behind you as you stepped out onto the small balcony. The air was still warm, but it had cooled down some. You could sense his hesitation, but he eventually wrapped his arms around your waist. A few moments passed, and you felt the anger drain from your body.

You turned to face him, letting your head lay against Aaron's chest. His hands brushed your hair behind your ear, and he pressed a kiss onto the top of your head.

"I don't know if this helps, or not, but I really am sorry that this happened." His low voice rumbled in your head.

"Thank you, Aaron Christopher, you might be the only good guy left in the world. I love you." You said into his chest.

"I love you more." He pulled back enough to lightly press his lips against yours.

-

The next morning, the team made their way to Dallas, calling you and Aaron from the jet.

 _"Female serial killers are a fascinating field, we don't have much on them. But what we do know, involves throwing the rules completely out the window."_ You listened to Spencer's voice over the phone. You and Aaron were in the Dallas field office, in an otherwise empty conference room.

_"Signature, for instance. They don't torture or take trophies."_

He was cut off by Morgan, _"Because there's no sexual gratification when a woman kills."_ Derek finished his thought.

 _"Exactly, murder is the goal. They don't have to do anything extra."_ Spencer said.

You heard JJ's voice next, _"So, basically, women are more efficient at killing."_ She concluded from Spencer's statement.

"Historically, they have body counts in the hundreds." You told the team through the receiver.

"So assuming that the job is the stressor, what are some of the reasons prostitutes kill their customers?" Aaron asked from beside you.

 _"Money, drugs, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder."_ Morgan counted off possibilities.

Rossi spoke next, _"At some point, every call girl, no matter how well paid, gets coerced into an activity she didn't consent to."_ His words sent a slight chill through your body, Aaron noticing and placing a gentle hand on your thigh.

 _"Aileen Wuornos used to purposefully stage paid sexual encounters as an excuse to murder men she thought would rape her,"_ Emily said through the phone.

"But Wuornos was psychotic and disorganized," Aaron told the team.

"I think this girl's poisoning them before she has sex with them." You finished his thought.

 _"She's using tetra-methylene-disulfotetramine. It's a popular rat poison in China, easily soluble in alcohol."_ Spencer explained, and you sensed a rant starting.

Luckily, Rossi cut him off, _"Poison is the perfect M.O. Quiet, quick, and the victims never see it coming because they think they're getting lucky."_

 _"Does that mean something to you?"_ Dave asked Aaron.

"Well, at ten thousand dollars a night, these men are paying for discretion as well as sex." You answered instead, Aaron giving you a supportive squeeze on the leg.

"She has a history with them. They see her repeatedly." Aaron explained.

"She didn't decide to kill them in the moment. She walks in with the intent to kill them, and she's doing it before she sleeps with them." You told the team.

 _"So she's not just organized, she's also methodical."_ Reid thought out loud.

 _"She decides early which one of her clients are worth killing and which aren't and she plans accordingly."_ Derek's voice floated through the phone again.

Emily spoke after Derek, _"Maybe the victims all share the same fetish."_

 _"Both victims were in their fifties, highly visible. Careful about their image. I mean, if they were kinky in the same way, they'd go to great lengths to hide it."_ Morgan countered.

"And we're facing a corporate culture that'll do everything it can to keep us out," Aaron told them.

And an Attorney General with a grabby hand. You thought.

 _"Actually, I had some luck there."_ JJ started to tell Aaron, _"Hoty Ashford's wife, the second victim, isn't too happy with how he died."_

"She's agreed to talk to us?" Aaron sounded slightly hopeful.

 _"Yeah, but because every silver lining has a dark cloud, the Hedge Fund released a statement."_ She told him, starting to read out the statement, _"'Ashford died peacefully in his home, according to lawyer David Madison.'"_

 _"They're already trying to close ranks."_ She ended sadly.

 _"Does that language sound familiar to anyone else?"_ Spencer asked, then you heard the rustling of paper.

 _"'According to company lawyer, Stanton died peacefully in his home.'"_ He read off a paper, Stanton was the first victim.

"Prentiss and Morgan, start with the wife. See if you can get her to open up. JJ, call the lawyers and tell them I want to meet with both of them. I think one of them wrote the press release." Aaron started to split the team-up.

"Reid and Rossi, head to the M.E. Y/n and I will work from the field office. Meet us here when you're done." He told them, before clicking off the line with a huff.

You followed his suit, letting out a sigh as you stood up. He gave you an odd look before you realized that you were walking to sit on his lap. You let your legs hang over the arm of the chair and your arms wrap around his shoulders.

He kissed you on your temple before speaking, "As much as I'd love to stay like this forever, this room has windows and that door is unlocked."

You sighed as you turned your head, capturing his lips in yours for a moment. His hands tightened on your waist, pulling you closer to him.

"I know, I just wanted to be close to you for a moment." You told him, pulling yourself out of his lap.

"Aaron?" He hummed in response, pulling his blazer back on his shoulders, "Can we not tell the team about Patrick Johnson? I don't want their pity, and I don't want to compromise the case." You didn't bother to face him, knowing that you wouldn't be able to keep it together.

"We can do whatever you want, y/n. Fair warning, if you tell Emily while we're still here, there will be no way to stop her from kicking him in the balls." He chuckled, walking up behind you and placing a kiss on your shoulder.

You hummed, "Maybe I should tell her, let him get what he deserves." His hands snaked around your waist and you laced your fingers with his.

"I won't stand in her way." He told you, and you both laughed.

For a moment you stood in the silence, drinking in Aaron's warmth behind you. You knew that at any time, someone could walk in and you and Aaron's jobs would be compromised.

"I love you, Aaron." You mumbled quietly.

"I love you, y/n." He responded, kissing you on the cheek and breaking away from you.


	38. Chapter 38

You and Aaron were stuck, you needed new information to continue the profile. The only thing you could do is wait. Patrick Johnson had yet to greet you and Aaron, the fucking coward. You had a feeling that Aaron would be able to control his emotions when he saw Patrick.

The sound of Emily and Derek's voices approaching pulled you and Aaron out of your bored trance. You had your feet sitting in his lap, his hands tracing lines up and down your bare legs.

"Hey lovebirds." Derek greeted you and Aaron with a wide grin, "How's your trip been?" He wiggled his eyebrows, a smile still plastered across his face.

"It's been fine." Aaron said gruffly, standing up after you retracted your legs, "What did you get from the wife?"

Emily gave you a confused look, to which you shrugged your shoulders, "Not much, we know that he preferred younger women. Their marriage was already on the rocks, ignoring the fact that he was seeing a call-girl."

"We know from the second crime scene that she shows no remorse." Aarons started to tell them, "There was an empty packet of Viagr-"

He suddenly stopped talking, his eyes locking on the newest person in the room. You saw Aaron's hands clench into fists, his jaw set tight and he stepped in front of you. Emily and Derek looked incredibly confused, their heads looking in between Aaron and Mr. Johnson.

You cleared your throat, "Guys, this is the Attorney General of Texas, Patrick Johnson." You gritted out, moving to stand next to Aaron.

"Mr. Johnson, can I speak to you for a moment?" Aaron asked, grabbing Patrick's arm and practically dragging him out of the room.

Emily and Derek were in shock, their jaws dropped as Aaron and Patrick left the room.

"Y/n? What was that about? Do you know?" Derek asked you, once the door was shut.

You nodded with a sigh, wishing you could just finish the case and leave, "Morgan, can you give Em and me a moment?" You tried to keep your voice steady.

He stood there for a while, his eyes searching your face for a reason why you wanted him to leave, but he eventually did.

"What's up y/n? Did something happen between you and Aaron? Or the Attorney General?" She moved her hand to grab your arm.

You hesitated. You wanted to tell her, but you feared the same thing you feared with Aaron. You didn't want her to be disappointed, or think less of you, even though you knew she wouldn't.

"Yeah, um. Aaron sent me and Mr. Johnson up to the crime scene yesterday, while he checked our bags. And, um, when we were in the elevator. He, uh- he tried to grope me." You told her sadly, finally letting your pent up tears fall.

Emily's jaw dropped, and her eyebrows knitted together in sadness.

"He- he didn't just try. He did, he grabbed my ass." Your voice shook as you told her, "I put him in his place, told him to fuck off, and all that. But I can't get the feeling of his hand to leave my mind." You let her pull you into a hug.

"I'm so sorry, y/n." Emily stroked your hair, letting you quietly cry.

You drew in a shaky breath, "For a split second, just a moment, I was so scared. I was trapped, all alone in that box. He could have done anything, and I wouldn't've been able to escape."

"I know, y/n. I know. If Aaron hasn't already, I'll kick his knees in." She tried to lighten the mood, which helped some.

"I don't want you or Aaron to get arrested on assault charges. I just want to finish this case, and go home." You felt her hesitation, but she nodded her head, "And, _please_ , don't tell anyone else."

She pulled away from you, "Of course, y/n. I'll just break his nose and leave." Emily laughed, which caused you to laugh too.

-

The team finally finished the case. The unsub, Meghan Cane, ended up taking her life. You could tell that Aaron was taking her death hard. He had seen her the first day you got there, in the elevator. She had also died directly next to him, practically in his arms.

You sighed as you sat down on the couch, curling up next to Aaron. You were hoping to sleep the way home, luckily it was late enough that the team wouldn't have to go to the office first.

"Alright, y/n. I have to ask, what was with the weird tension between you, Aaron, and Patrick Johnson?" Morgan asked you, his feet propped up on a table.

You and Aaron simultaneously tensed, and you saw Emily's jaw clench from across the jet, "I'm not sure what you're talking about, Morgan. I just didn't like his vibes I guess." You shrugged, severely wishing that Derek would accept that answer.

"Nah, no way you're getting off that easy. There was something going on. After you and Emily talked, she started acting all weird too." He pointed out, Aaron's hand tightening around your thigh.

"Derek, maybe you should just drop it?" Emily suggested with a strong tone, "It's nothing that concerns you." You silently thanked her.

"Well, why not? If you get to know, why don't I get t-"

"Jesus Christ, Morgan. If you really want to know, the son of a bitch groped me in the elevator." You practically shouted, the rest of the plan falling silent.

There was a new tension in the plane, uncomfortable and awkward. Derek's face fell, and his eyes dropped to the floor.

"I-uh... I'm sorry, y/n. I should have dropped it." He apologized quietly.

"Damn right, you should have." You grumbled, standing up and walking to the bathroom with a huff.

"Wait, y/n-" Was the last thing you heard Derek said, before shutting the door to the small bathroom.

Once the door was closed, you heard Aaron's angry voice, "Damnit, Morgan. You couldn't just drop it? It wasn't any of your fucking business."

You let your back hit the wall, and slid down to sit on the floor. You weren't crying, you were just upset and angry. The last thing you wanted to do was tell the team, must less in that fashion. A timid knock on the door made your head snap up, so you reached up and locked the door. You didn't care who it was, you just wanted to be alone.

"Y/n, please." You heard Aaron's hushed voice through the door.

Not wanting to fight, you just reached up to unlock the door again. Aaron gently opened the door, slipping into the small room. He crouched down in front of you, letting his hand cup your face.

"What can I do?" He asked quietly.

"I just want to go home, and I want you to hold me. Also, if you'd let me, I'd like to slap the shit out of Morgan." You said sadly, which turned to anger with your finishing words.

"I know, baby. I do too." He moved to pull you into his lap, "We can sit here as long as you want. When we land, we're going to go straight home." He told you.

"We're going to go to _our_ home." You mumbled against his chest.

"Our house," He corrected himself, "We can make plans for moving when we get there."

Aaron held you in his lap, letting you fall asleep against his chest. His left arm lost feeling and the other one wanted to give out, but he wouldn't dare let you fall.

You woke up when the wheels hit the tarmac, the bright lights of the bathroom blinding your eyes.

"Good morning, princess." Aaron chuckled, the feeling returning back to his arm as you lifted yourself off his body.

"I'm sorry I fell asleep, I didn't mean to." You apologized, your voice still thick with sleep. You stood up, offering him your hand to help him to his feet.

He pulled you into a tight hug, "You have nothing to be sorry for."

"Thank you, Aaron." You said, pressing your lips against his.

A loud knock on the door pulled you and Aaron apart, Rossi's voice floating through, "I don't want to imagine what happened in here for the entire four-hour flight. We're back."

You and Aaron laughed at his words, opening the door and stepping out.

"We're very good at keeping quiet." You said with a wink.

You let out a sigh, seeing that the rest of the plane was empty. The last thing you wanted to do at the moment was face Morgan.

Deep down, you knew that he didn't have any bad intent with his questions. You just really wished he didn't pry like that. He didn't have any right to know your personal things, and he didn't have any right to interrogate you like that. Not to mention the inter-team profiling.

You and Aaron walked hand-in-hand to Aaron's car. He was carrying both your bags in his left hand, his right hand holding tightly to your left.

"Dinner?" He asked, starting to drive away from the airstrip.

"Can we eat something at home? I just want to stay in tonight." You squeezed his hand in yours.

"Of course, princess. Anything for you." He said with a smile.

You and Aaron spent the rest of the night eating grilled cheese on the couch. When you brought up the topic of moving, his eyes lit up and a huge smile cracked across his face.

"You're going to have to make some room for my stuff, especially in that closet." You told him with a laugh, "I can't live out of a drawer forever."

"I know, I already started to clear out half of it. We also have the guest room to use, if we run out of space." He told you, shifting to let you lay in between his legs.

You hummed, "When do you want to start? My lease isn't quite up, but I don't have to actually live there." You asked him, your voice slightly muffled by his chest.

"How about this weekend? We can get the team to help us." He suggested, wrapping his arms around your waist.

"That sounds good, it'll give me time to talk to Morgan. I know that he didn't mean to pry, and he didn't know that it would upset me like that." You said sadly, thinking back to the scene you caused on the plane.

"Yeah, but he should have been able to read your discomfort with the situation. He was already profiling you, as it was." He replied, and you could hear an inkling of anger.

You just hummed in response, moving up to nestle your head under his chin. Aaron placed a kiss on the top of your head, tightening his arms around you.

"I love you, y/n. So much. And I'm so excited to live with you." He mumbled, you could hear sleep tugging at him.

"I love you too, Aaron." You replied, turning your head to catch his lips in yours.

You gently kissed him, letting out a small sigh as grazed your bottom lip with his tongue. You moved your knees to straddle his hips, sweeping your hair out of your face as you reconnected your lips with his. His hands moved to your chest, starting to slowly unbutton your shirt. 


	39. Chapter 39

The next day, you and Aaron drove to work together. You kept your hand glued to his, setting them on the console separating your bodies.

"We might have to get a car with a bench seat, that way I can sit right next to you." You told him, longing to be cuddled up next to him at all times.

He let out a low chuckle, his beautiful smile lines crowding his eyes. Deep dimples dug into his cheeks, his white teeth flashing in the dim car, "You won't have any trouble convincing me." He squeezed your hand tightly.

You reached your hand up to his still smiling face, grazing your fingertips over his crow's feet and dimples, "You need to smile more, Aaron. You're so beautiful." You murmured, almost forgetting that you were talking. Your hand stayed on his face while he drove.

When Aaron parked in the garage, he turned to face you. You had kept your eyes on his the whole time, yet you didn't notice the almost invisible tears in his eyes.

"Aaron?" Your voice worried, "What?"

He was still smiling, but his eyes looked slightly sad, "I don't think anyone has told me that. Ever." He told you quietly, "I don't know... I guess it's just nice to hear."

"Well, in that case; you are the most beautiful man in the world." You leaned in to kiss him.

"How could anyone not think that? Your eyes are warm brown, like two little pots of delicious honey. I love every line, wrinkle, and scar on your body. I don't think I could ever think anything else." You told him, moving to kiss the lines around his eyes.

Then you moved to kiss his forehead, then his nose, his cheek, and finally his lips again.

"I love you so much, Aaron. I love every inch of your beautiful body." You muttered against his lips.

"Thank you, y/n. I love you too." He kissed you harder after speaking.

After a few moments, you broke the kiss, "We're going to be late."

"So? I'm the boss, I'm allowed to be late." He moved to kiss you again, but you stopped him with a hand on his chest.

"Aaron, I've got to talk to Derek. It'll be better to do it sooner than later." You said, waiting for his nodding head to start getting out of the car.

You grabbed your bags, waiting on your side of the car for Aaron. He joined you, his hand grasping yours. Aaron led you to the elevator, waiting for the car to arrive.

Once you were on the sixth floor, you hesitantly made your way into the bullpen. You saw Emily and Spencer in the sad excuse of a kitchen, Rossi already doing nothing in his office, and Penelope and Derek were talking at Morgan's desk.

When Garcia spotted you, she fell silent, walking away from Derek. Morgan's eyes landed on yours, then they fell down to his desk. He clearly felt bad about what happened on the plane, but couldn't find a way to approach an apology.

"Derek?" You finally said after putting your bags down, "Can we talk?" For some reason, you seemed more nervous about this than him.

"Of course, y/n." He responded, waiting for you to speak, but you never did. "I know it was wrong for me to push you like that." He finally started to apologize.

"I should have read the room better, I shouldn't have profiled you, and I know that I had no right to that information." Derek's words dumped from his mouth, it was clear that he had been rehearsing the words he was saying, "I'm so sorry. I should have respected your privacy." He finished, letting his eyes drop back to his desk.

"Morgan, I know that you didn't mean for that to happen. You obviously know that what you did was wrong, and you were just curious and worried." You told him, moving to sit behind your desk, "I graciously accept your apology, and I expect you to act as my footstool until I see that you have learned your lesson."

His face screwed into confusion until he saw you roll your chair over and set your feet on his lap, "Footstool." You said shortly, with a grin.

"In your dreams, baby girl." He laughed, pushing your feet off his leg. You laughed too, rolling back behind your desk to start working on paperwork.

-

At lunch, you and Aaron joined the rest of the team, instead of eating alone. They immediately knew something was up, calling you on your bluff.

"Alright, what is it?" Rossi asked right as you and Aaron walked into the breakroom.

You glanced at Aaron, looking for his nod of assurance, then you spoke, "We wanted to ask for your guy's help this weekend, I'm moving in with Aaron!" You told them, their faces lighting up for a moment.

Then they all glanced to Dave as if they were waiting for him to say something.

"What?" You concernedly asked.

"Who asked who?" Penelope asked with an expectant grin.

"She asked me," Aaron said sheepishly.

You watched Morgan, Penelope, and Rossi's faces light up, while Emily, Spencer, and JJ's fell. The latter three grabbed their wallets, handing fifty dollars each to the former three with a grumble.

"What the hell?" Your voice was incredulous, scanning their faces.

"We had a bet, who would ask who first," Rossi explained, folding a fifty into his wallet.

Your jaw dropped, "You guys were betting on our relationship?" Then you heard a snicker next to you, seeing a crisp fifty in Aaron's hand.

" _You_ were betting on our relationship?" You punched his arm, snatching the bill from his hand.

"Well... I couldn't help it, I walked in on them starting the initial bet, so I decided to put some money in the pot." He told you, reaching for the money, but you moved it out of his reach.

"No, this is mine now. Also, Rossi, you cheated. You used alcohol to lower my inhibitions so that I might ask." You scolded the older man, tucking the bill into your bra and sitting down at the table.

"It's not cheating, just trying to _better_ the hand I was dealt." He said with a shrug.

You huffed, " _Anyways_ , can you guys help this weekend? We'd really appreciate it." You asked, getting a slew of yes's and sure's in response.

-

It was surprisingly easy to physically move out of your apartment. Most of the furniture came with the lease, and wouldn't be coming with you. Although, your bedroom was a different story. You had _a lot_ of clothes, and you weren't willing to part with most of them. Same with shoes, although, there was less than your endless racks of clothing. Emily and Penelope worked on packing your clothes, you really didn't want Derek or Spencer seeing your underwear. You and JJ packed up your bathroom, while Aaron and Rossi worked on your kitchen.

Spencer and Derek were currently on a coffee run, and then would help everyone load up various cars and help distribute boxes into your and Aaron's home.

The loud giggling from Emily and Penelope drew you and JJ out of the bathroom. There was quite the sight in front of you. Emily and Penelope had sprawled out all your underwear and bras out around the room. The entire floor was covered, as well as your bed and desk.

"What the hell, guys?" You asked with a laugh.

"We noticed that you had quite the collection of _underthings_ , and we wanted to count them," Emily said, still out of breath from laughing.

You glanced around the room again, "So you decided to make a carpet and bedspread out of them?" Your voice still carrying a laugh.

"Y/n, do you know how many pairs of underwear you have? Or bras?" Penelope asked, gesturing to the clothes covering the room.

"I don't know? Maybe like fifteenish, each?" You genuinely tried to guess.

"Y/n, you have around thirty pairs of each. Plus your extensive collection of lingerie. Which you have about ten pieces of each type." Emily started to point to your closet, only housing your lacy and sheer lingerie.

"Wow, I didn't even realize. I guess I've just accumulated a lot, I've been collecting everything since freshman year of college." You told them in shock, there was no way you actually had that much.

"Well, I don't think you need any more," JJ said with a laugh.

-

When Spencer and Derek returned, everyone took a moment to relax and drink their coffee, lounging on your living room furniture.

"Alright, we probably won't be able to get everything in one trip. Though, y/n and I should be able to get the rest on our own." Aaron said from his spot on the couch, you were tucked into his side, tired from the long day of packing.

The team quickly loaded boxes into Aaron, Derek, Emily, and Rossi's SUVs. There were only a few boxes left over, holding blankets, pillows, and some kitchenware.

A long line of SUVs made their way to Aaron's house, the team squished into various cars where they could fit.

At Aaron's house, quickly started to unpack the cars. Most of the boxes went into the dining room, which was rarely used, or the spare bedroom. You could tell how tired the team was, and you were grateful that they helped after a long work week.

"Thank you guys, really. Thank you. It would have taken ages without you." You started your relentless gratitude.

They responded with exhausted 'your welcome's.

"We're going to get those last few boxes, you guys should go get some rest," Aaron told them, grabbing you by the waist to lead you to his car.

You both waited for them to drive away, before getting into the car and making your way back to your almost empty apartment.

While you were gone, the complex manager moved out most of the furniture out of your apartment. It had to be cleaned before the next owner moved in, and you had already let your landlord know that you wouldn't be staying there.

The only thing left was the three boxes sitting in your kitchen. Aaron grabbed the box of kitchen tools, and you went to grab the box with pillows.

You started to hesitate, but it wasn't hesitation to move in with Aaron. It just hit you, that you had lived in this apartment for almost seven years, and you had lived there the entire time you worked at the BAU.

You didn't notice Aaron reenter the room, till he voiced his concern for your statue-esque form in the kitchen.

"Y/n? Everything okay?" He walked up to wrap his arms around you.

You nodded, taking in a deep breath, "Yeah, it's just weird. I've lived here for a long time, and it's kind of hard to part with it."

"I know it's hard, I also know how excited you are to move in." He mumbled, letting his lips find your neck.

You hummed in approval, "Mmmm... Aaron, we've got boxes to move and unpack." Jessica had Jack for the night, giving you and Aaron time to get your things settled.

"We've got all night, baby." He started to move his lips up your neck, starting to suck under your ear.

You unwillingly let a moan slip through your lips, your chin tilting to give him better access. His arms that were secured around your waist started to unravel. He let his hands find your hips, pulling them back to grind against his growing erection.

He groaned at the contact, rolling his hips to meet yours again. The suction on your neck never faltered as his hands moved from your hips to the hem of your shirt. You felt his fingertips snake under the bottom of your shirt, lightly grazing your abdomen. His hands roughly gripped your covered breasts, your nipples starting to harden at the stimulation.

"Aaronnn,'' You moaned lowly, letting your hands find his hair. He removed his lips from your neck, quickly finding your mouth with his.

The kiss started gentle, his tongue lightly grazing your bottom lip. You whimpered into his mouth as he moved his hands from your breasts, but were delighted when he used them to grab your hips and turn you around.

He reconnected his lips to yours with a new fervor, your mouth eagerly accepting his tongue into your mouth. You pressed your chest against his, feeling his hands find your lower back. You reached your arms around Aaron's neck and he hooked his under your thighs, lifting you into his arms

When you wrapped your legs around his torso, his completely hard cock pressed against your clothed core. You and Aaron moaned in unison, your head falling back. Taking advantage of the exposed skin, Aaron connected his lips to your neck, sucking under your chin.

" _Aaron_." You whined when he disconnected himself from you, setting your feet on the ground again.

"Come on, princess." He said, grabbing your hand and pulling you towards the box of pillows and blankets.

Once you realized what he wanted you to do, he walked over to the fireplace in your living room. He turned on the gas logs, lighting a fire. You grinned like an idiot, starting to pull pillows and blankets out of boxes.

He walked back over to you, starting to lay out the blankets, making a small bed in front of the fire. After that, he sat down on the ground, reaching his hand up to you, and pulled you down onto his lap.

You smiled as you leaned in to kiss him, your legs wrapped around his waist. You felt his lips grin against your, his hands landing on your hips. Aaron grabbed the hem of your shirt, starting to pull it over your head.

You did the same, unbuttoning the top of his red golf polo before pulling it over his head. His hands moved to your jeans next, popping the button at the top and unzipping the denim. You lifted your hips to help him pull the loose pants off your body.

He wrapped his arms around your back, carefully laying you down on the pile of blankets and pillows. Kneeling in between your legs, he unbuttoned his khakis and slipped them off his legs.

Once he matched your level of nakedness, he draped himself over you. His arms rested on each side of your head, pressing his lips against yours. You pressed your chest against his warm body, eager for any touch he had to offer.

"Patience, y/n. We'll get there." He mumbled, starting to trail his lips down your neck and chest. Aaron's hand quickly snaked around your back to unclip your bra.

You arched into his touch, his hands moving down to your breasts. He pulled one nipple into his mouth, his hand caressing and pinching the other one. A mix between a moan and a whimper left your mouth, your chest pushing further into his hand.

He let his other hand find your breast, letting his mouth continue down your abdomen. Carefully, he pulled the waistband of your underwear into his teeth. He gently pulled the cloth down your legs, letting them fall from his mouth once he got them off.

Starting at your ankle, he slowly kissed up your leg, letting his tongue and lips caress each inch of your leg. When he made his way up to your hip, he moved over to your other thigh, starting to go back down the other leg.

"Aaron, you're teasing me." You whined, watching him through lidded eyes.

He chuckled, coming back up to your face, "I told you patience, y/n. We have all the time in the world." He gently kissed you, before making his way back down.

Starting at your right hip, he licked a warm line to your pussy. Gently, he separated your lips with his tongue, swiping it up your slit. His lips wrapped around your clit, starting to suck on the sensitive nub. A low moan fell from your mouth, your head tilted back in pleasure.

" _Aaron_." You whispered, letting your finger thread through his recently cut hair.

You moaned as he prodded a finger into your pussy, getting pushing it into your warmth. He started to gently thrust his hand in and out of you, gently curling it to brush your g-spot. You rolled your hips in time with his hand, moaning and whimpering as he started to build up a generous pace.

His tongue flattened on your clit, quickly licking the bundle of nerves. When you moaned again, he pushed another finger into your core, twisting and scissoring them to open you up. Aaron used his free hand to shove his boxers off, palming his painfully hard erection.

You groaned at the sight, watching his face screw into pleasure as he jerked himself off while fingering you. Taking advantage of your open mouth, he removed his hand from your core and shoved his fingers into your mouth before you could whine.

You swirled your tongue around his fingers, licking and sucking your arousal off his fingers. He moved his tongue to your entrance, pushing it deep into your core. Taking your hands off his head, you moved them to pinch your nipples, arching your back and rolling your hips simultaneously.

"So good for me, princess," Aaron muttered, moving his hips to line up with your entrance. He prodded his tip into your heat, slowly pushing his hips to meet yours.

You kept your eyes on his as he gently pushed into you, only letting them flutter close when his hips set flush against yours. He groaned as your walls clenched around him, his head dropping to press his lips against yours.

"God, Aaron. Move." You moaned into his mouth, "Please, please." You quietly begged, but you quickly stopped when he started to pull his hips away from yours. He slowly pulled out, leaving only his tip in.

You let out a high whine when he thrust deep and hard into you. He grunted as he started to build a slow but hard pace, your voice meeting each snap of his hips with a whimper of pleasure.

"So good for me, angel." He whispered into your ear, your chest filling with butterflies at the new nickname.

His mouth trailed open-mouthed, hot kisses down your neck, letting his tongue and lips caress the letters under your collarbone. You arched into his mouth, the only words you could think pouring out of your mouth.

"God, I love you so much, Aaron." You cried out, his thrusts hitting deeper and hard against your g-spot.

"I love you too, y/n. I love you so much." He said, his dick already starting to twitch at his impending release.

He slowed down, keeping his orgasm at bay. He wanted you to cum with you, so he snaked a hand down to your clit, pressing his thumb against the nub. You started to roll your hips into his thrusts, your head falling back in pleasure.

A tight coil started to wind up in your core, the familiar sense of an approaching orgasm running over your body, "I'm going to cum, Aaron." You announced, knowing that you didn't need permission.

"I'm right there with you, y/n. Just wait a little longer." He grunted, snapping his hips into your with a new fervor.

You started to whine, trying to hold off. You were a writhing, whimpering mess under his touch. His eyes stayed locked on yours as he spoke.

"Cum, my angel. Cum with me." He told you softly, swiping his thumb across your clit harder.

You clenched and squirmed as you tipped over the edge, your back arching up and your chest pressing into his. Waves of pleasure radiated out from your clit, warmth filling your core as Aaron pushed his release into you. Both your bodies were covered in a sheen of sweat and the mix of the cool air rolled a layer of goosebumps across your bodies. Your name left his mouth as his left yours, neither of you able to disconnect your eyes from each other.

He finally pulled out of you, grabbing a towel to gently wipe his cum off your thighs. He rolled to lay behind you, wrapping himself around your body and pulling a blanket over both of you. The roaring fire provided more warmth, your eyes starting to droop with post-orgasm clarity.

"I love you, Aaron Christopher." You mumbled out, pressing a kiss into his hand.

"I love you, y/f/n y/m/n." He whispered back, kissing your shoulder and pulling you further into his embrace.

After a light nap, you and Aaron repacked the blankets and pillows. With the boxes in the back of the car, Aaron drove back to his house quickly. Once you got all three boxes inside, he pulled you into his arms.

"Our home." He said with a smile, pressing a kiss onto the top of your head.

"Our home." You responded, leaning into his body. 


	40. Chapter 40

After a few days of unpacking boxes, you started to notice Jack's odd demeanor. He would leave the room if you entered, generally mumbling something rude under his breath. At dinner, when he couldn't leave, he was silent towards you and only spoke a few words to Aaron. It wasn't uncommon for him to be quiet, he was a very reserved kid, but for him to completely shut out you and Aaron was very uncharacteristic for him.

"Aaron, I'm worried about Jack. He's been very cold toward me, and he started to turn that way toward you." You told Aaron one night while laying in bed, "Do you think he's unhappy that I moved in?" Your tone carried worry.

"I'm not sure, but I do agree that he's been acting differently. He didn't express any discontent when I asked his permission to have you move in." He rolled to pull you into his arms, "He's probably just in a mood, he gets like that sometimes."

"I don't know Aaron." You said, snuggling into his warmth, "It started right as I moved in. What if he doesn't like me?" You asked quietly, glad that your position kept you from making eye contact with him.

"I doubt that's it, I truly think that he's just adjusting to having another person in the house," Aaron mumbled, sleep starting to tug at him.

You sighed, trying to take his words to heart, "I should talk to him tomorrow."

He hummed in response, "Take him to ice cream or lunch, that way you can butter him up." He said, a grin evident in his voice.

"As long as you're buying." You said through a yawn.

He only chuckled in response, tightening his arms around your body, "I love you, y/n." His lips placed a kiss on the top of your head.

"I love you too, Aaron." You mumbled, letting your hand rest on his chest.

-

The next day, you anxiously waited for lunchtime to approach. Luckily, it was Saturday, so you wouldn't have to wait longer for the weekend. The mid-April air was warm, only a slight breeze blowing. You put on a pair of jeans, a short sleeve tee-shirt, and a pair of converse, before letting Jack know that you and Aaron were taking him to lunch.

At first, you considered doing it alone, but you were worried that Jack would get very upset or you would say the wrong thing. He was there more for moral support, but it was still a good idea to have him there. For your comfort, and Jack's.

"Hey, Jack. We're going to get lunch out today, why don't you go get dressed real quick." You put on your nicest voice you could muster, but Jack wasn't amused.

"Whatever." He mumbled, turning to walk to his room.

It was obvious that he was struggling with something, but it was hard to not take his words personally. You let out a frustrated sigh once Jack was out of earshot, trying to maintain your composure.

"Y/n, it's going to be fine. We're going to talk to him and figure out what's going on, and we're going to help him however we need to." Aaron ran a comforting hand up your arm.

"What happens if he doesn't want me here, I can't be the reason your son hates you." Your bottom lip wobbled dangerously and your voice wavered.

Aaron didn't hesitate, "That's not going to happen." But you didn't believe his words. Even so, you let him pull you into a hug, waiting for Jack to finish getting ready.

Once Jack was ready, Aaron drove the three of you to Jack's favorite sandwich shop, hoping his favorite food would help him open up.

The ride was quiet, almost silent, with the occasional cough or comment about something passing the car. At the restaurant, Jack quietly ordered his food and kept his eyes on the table. Once the waitress walked away, you couldn't take it anymore.

"Jack, I'm really worried about you." You told the boy, his eyes not moving, "Do you think you could tell us what's wrong?" You tried to coax him out of his proverbial shell.

Your attempt did the opposite, however, "Nothing's wrong." He mumbled, barely registering the food that was placed in front of him. Jack's shoulders shrugged, keeping his eyes on the table.

Aaron sighed, annoyance clear even in his breath, "I'm not buying that, Jack. You know that I would never use profiling to hurt you, but your change in emotion is clear." He said, taking a breath to start talking again, but Jack cut him off.

"Why would I tell _you_?" Jack spat, and you assumed his words were at you. Yet, after looking at the boy, you realized that he was looking at Aaron the whole time.

"Jack, can you tell me? What if your dad sat in the car and we talked?" You suggested, watching his head nod at your words. "Okay."

Aaron silently got up, grabbing his sandwich, and walking out of the shop.

"Alright, it's just the two of us. You can tell me anything, and it'll stay between us." You told him, taking a bite of food after speaking.

"Why are you moving in with us?" He asked you, keeping eye contact with you.

"Well, your dad and I really like each other. And, he wants me to be with him more. Like how I come home with him after work and we sleep in the same bed." You tried to make the explanation as PG as possible.

He didn't respond, so you spoke again, "Do you not want me to move in?" You forced the question out, not wanting to know the answer.

He shook his head, and you could see his little bottom lip waver slightly, "I don't want a new mom." Jack's voice was barely above a whisper, and he couldn't hide the hitch in his words as tears formed in his eyes.

"Oh, Jack. I'm not trying to be your mom. No one can ever replace her, she'll always be your mom." You gently reached to grab his hand.

"I don't want to forget her." He admitted, more tears welling in his eyes.

You cupped his face and swiped his tears away with your thumb, "You'll never forget her, Jack. I promise that I'm not trying to replace her." You told him, watching his tears stop. He nodded his head as you pulled your hand away.

"Can you keep a secret?" He responded with an eager 'yes', "I _really_ like your dad, and I want to keep living with you guys if that's okay with you?"

"I want you to stay, I like having you here. Dad's a lot happier since he's been dating you." Jack told you, a wide grin spreading across your face.

"Thank you, Jack. What do you say we go get your dad, and go to the park?" You asked, watching his head nod eagerly.

You offered your hand to him, leading him back to the car. Aaron was looking at you nervously, and you only gave him a knowing nod and look. He knew that you would tell him about the conversation later.

"Jack and I decided that the park would be the best place to go next." You beamed, pulling your seatbelt across your body.

Aaron drove to the park, turning on the radio to fill the car with a low hum. Once at the park, Jack bolted to the jungle-gym, immediately climbing and swinging on the bars.

"How'd it go?" Aaron asked you. He was holding your hand while the two of you walked around the park, keeping Jack in your line of sight.

"He thought I was moving in to replace Haley and he was worried that he was going to forget her." You told him, feeling his hand tense in yours and his shoulders tighten. It had been years since her death, but you knew that it was still a sore subject.

"What'd you tell him?" He asked, giving your hand a reassuring squeeze and letting his posture soften.

"I told him that he would never forget her and that I could never replace her." You said, slowing your steps to stand still, "Are you worried about that? That you're going to forget her?" You asked him, searching for an answer on his face.

You could see the hesitation in his expression, but you ignored it, "I was at first." He admitted after a few moments, "That's why I was so cold after our first night." He moved his hand to your shoulder and pulled you closer to him.

"But, when I realized how _madly_ in love with you I am, I got over my hesitation." He placed a kiss on your head, "A piece of me will always love Haley, but all of me will never stop loving you." He said softly.

"I love you more than the world, Aaron Christopher." You kissed him gently.

The sound of a boy's voice saying "Ewwww" pulled you and Aaron apart, glancing over to look at Jack's disgusted face.

"I know, Jack. I can't believe he kissed me, so _gross_. I say we run away together, instead." You said, starting to chase after Jack, leaving Aaron in the dust.

You gently tackled the boy, wiggling your fingers into his sides. He squealed and laughed, his arms and legs flailing as he tried to squirm from your touch.

Unbeknownst to you, Aaron was snapping pictures of the two of you rolling in the grass.

The next thing you knew, you felt your body flipped to the ground, Aaron's familiar scent filling your nose. He and Jack dug their fingers into your sides, and under your chin, screams and giggles leaving your mouth as they tickled you relentlessly

"Stop, stop, _STOP!!_ " You squealed, their movements never halting.

"I don't know, Jack, do you think we should stop?" Aaron asked through heavy breathing.

 _"Never!!"_ Jack said, moving to start tickling you again.

The three of you rolled around in the grass for a while, before Aaron tired out. You both sat back in the grass, leaning on your elbows and watching Jack sprint to the tall, red slide.

"I love him, Aaron." You told him, laying your head on his shoulder.

"I do too." He mumbled, kissing the top of your head.


	41. Chapter 41

**-May-**

Things were going well with Aaron and Jack. You started to develop a routine, some days you would take Jack to school and Aaron would pick up coffee, or vice versa. Cases were going well with the team, but you could tell that Strauss was breathing down Aaron's neck. She was in his office after every case, scrutinizing Aaron's decision and orders. Things between JJ and Emily started to get better, and it didn't take a profiler to notice that they were back together. Even so, no one said anything.

"I know that Strauss is on your ass. I wish I could do something to help." You said.

Your knees were straddling his back, your hands rubbing the knots out of his shoulders. Leaning down, you pressed kisses into his upper back, hearing a content sigh from his chest.

"It's not your fault, y/n. She can't help it, she's hardwired to be an ass." He mumbled into the bed.

"But I still wish I could do something. I feel useless." You started to work your hands down his spine, rubbing the muscles around his spine.

He hummed when you hit a tight knot, "You're being pretty helpful right now." He praised you, feeling the knot start to alleviate.

**-June-**

You and Aaron managed to get two weeks off at the beginning of June, taking Jack on a small road trip. The three of you took three days to drive down to Florida, stopping along the way for different attractions. Once in Florida, Aaron planned for trips to Disney World and Universal Studios. Jack was ecstatic to go to Harry Potter World, having re-read the books on the way down to Florida.

"Are we going to Harry Potter first, daddy?" Jack asked from his bed in the hotel, glad that you guys had finally made it to Florida.

"Yeah, buddy we are. You're going to have to get some sleep first, I don't want you to get tired." Aaron said tiredly from his spot on the bed. He insisted on driving the whole way, even though you offered many times.

Jack huffed, rolling over in his bed, "Okay." He said quietly, sleep already pulling at the young boy.

In the morning, you and Aaron were awoken by a very excited Jack jumping on your bed.

"Come on, dad! You gotta get up! It's time for Harry Potter!!" He yelled, plopping on to Aaron's chest and knocked all the air out of Aaron's lungs.

He poked your face with a finger, "You too, mama. I'm all ready to go."

You felt your body tense and your jaw slack in shock. He had never called you that before, the small word sending a wave of joy through your body.

Aaron's head snapped to look at you, his eyes wide and a tiny amount of worry behind them.

Jack hadn't realized that he said it, till he said it, "I'm sorry, y/n. I didn't mean to." He said, trying to roll off Aaron and get away from you.

Before he could get too far, you grabbed him and pulled him into a tight hug, "It's okay, Jack. I promise it's more than okay. It's great!" You said through a wide smile.

"Really?" He asked timidly.

"Of course, bud." You said, after giving Aaron a questioning glance and receiving a nod back.

**-July-**

It was your birthday, and you insisted on no party. You knew that your request fell on deaf ears, but it was worth the try. When you walked into work, you were met with streamers and balloons in the bullpen.

"Well, I guess Pen spent all night here." You said as they blew through noisemakers.

She grinned widely while nodding, "I know you said you didn't want anything, but I thought that we could just do something small."

You glanced around, seeing a sign hanging from the catwalk and various presents spread throughout the office. There was a table holding a cake and two dozen cupcakes and cookies.

" _This_ is small?" You asked with apprehension, "I'd hate to see what a big party looks like."

Even though you didn't want a party, you happily accepted birthday wishes. You tried to give your presents back, but they wouldn't hear any of it.

Spencer got you a book, not a surprise. Penelope got you a gift card to go get nails done with her and the rest of the girls. Rossi gave you an expensive bottle of scotch, seeing how much you liked the last one. Morgan got you a new holster for your gun, your old was practically falling apart. JJ gave you a new wallet, which was also falling apart. Emily made you open your gift in private, and you were glad when you saw that it was a pile of lace.

"Weren't you just saying I have too much underwear?" You laughed, giving her a hug as you did.

"No one can have too much underwear." She said.

Lastly, Aaron gave you his present.

It was a small box, almost resembling a ring box. You gave him a confused look but opened it. Inside was a car key. Your jaw dropped as you realized that he had gotten a car, which made you squeal.

 _"You got me a car???"_ You tackled Aaron with a hug.

"Not just any car, it has a bench seat in the front." He told you, kissing you quickly.

His comment about the seat caused half the team to wiggle their eyebrows and laugh, while the other half faked vomiting.

**-August-**

You and Aaron were driving home from work, and Jack wouldn't be home that night because the team got back so late. With the luxury of your newly owned car, you were snuggled into Aaron's side and you had decided to forgo a seatbelt.

Although you were tired, you still had a mischievous side to you. Your hand started innocently on his knee, Aaron assuming that it was just your need to be close to him. He barely registered your hand moving closer to his crotch the first time. The second time, you heard his breath hitch and his thigh tense under your hand.

"Princess, I'm driving." He mumbled though he made no attempt to move your hand.

You laughed under your breath, "Then keep driving. Don't let me _distract_ you." You slid your hand to rest against his crotch.

There was still about a half-hour drive to get home since you and Aaron left from the airstrip.

After a few minutes, you saw a large tent in his pants. You grinned madly, moving your hand to palm him over his pants. Aaron's thigh twitched and his breath caught in his throat.

 _"Princess."_ His tone carried a warning, but he still did nothing to stop you.

"Yes, daddy?" You let your lip pout out and you looked up at him with wide, innocent eyes.

He didn't respond verbally, only a moan falling through his lips. You continued to stroke him through his pants, feeling his hips buck into your hand. Giving in to his desire, you unbuckled his pants and pulled out his erection. With the new freedom, you could do full hard strokes up and down his shaft.

Leaning down, but keeping your eyes on his face, you let a bubble of spit drop onto the tip of his dick. The new lubrication let your hand move faster, a groan leaving his mouth. He was now pushing full thrusts into your hand, chasing his release.

You considered being a brat, denying him his orgasm, but you were feeling merciful that day. His cock twitched in your hand and his hot cum shot out of his dick, hitting the steering wheel and your shirt.

**-September-**

You were eating lunch with Aaron in his office. Sometimes the two of you would snuggle into each other while you ate. Other times, he would neglect his food and work through the hour. Today was one of those days.

"Aaron, you need to eat. You didn't eat breakfast and the only thing you've had today is coffee." You said from your spot on the couch.

He barely realized that you were talking, "I'm swamped, y/n. I don't have time to eat."

Deciding that that wasn't good enough, you grabbed his lunch off the table and walked over to his desk. Pulling out a sandwich, you held it up to his mouth.

"Eat." You pressed the food against his lips.

Grudgingly, he took a bite, continuing to work on a file. After a bit, you did have to prompt him to take a bite. He would write a few sentences or flip through a file, then he would turn his head and pull a piece of sandwich into his mouth.

Once he finished the sandwich, you ruffled his hair, "Good boy." You said shortly, watching him blush and smile at your words.

**-October-**

It was October 7, which is Jack's birthday, and your house was filled with screaming ten-year-olds. Jack was having the time of his life, running around dressed like Captain America and wielding a circular shield.

"He's quite the superhero." Dave said to you and Aaron's tired forms on the couch.

You both hummed in response, too tired to form words. There had been a long case the week before Jack's birthday, plus a few of the kids spent the night prior to the party.

"Mama!! Dad!! Look!" Jack yelled from the yard, you and Aaron watching as he jumped off the swing. The whole team cheered for the boy.

Aaron was curled around you, his eyes drooping and his breathing low. You knew he would probably fall asleep, but you didn't mind. Just one more child you had to take care of.

"He is, although he might become an unsub because he's going to _kill_ us." You managed to gain enough strength to lift your head.

"Villain." Spencer corrected you from his seat.

"What?" You replied in confusion, not registering that it was Spencer talking.

"In this case, it would be a villain, not an unsub. You know, like a superhero versus a villain. Like in movies, although I've never seen a superhero movie, so I wouldn't know too much about them." He said with a happy smile.

"You've never seen a superhero movie, pretty boy?" Morgan asked, ruffling Spencer's hair as he talked.

That was the last you heard, their conversation lulling you and Aaron to sleep in a matter of minutes.

**-November-**

By sheer luck, there were no cases on Thanksgiving, and there was no other way to celebrate the day than going to Rossi's house for dinner with the team.

Rossi insisted on the occasion being black-tie formal, and you weren't sure why. But, to be honest, you wouldn't have been surprised if he told you to wear a ballgown.

You, Aaron, and Jack arrived at Rossi's house first, Aaron insisting to be on time. Your jaw dropped when you saw Rossi's gigantic house, there was probably a rollercoaster somewhere in there.

"Rossi, your house is amazing." You told him, passing a bottle of wine to him.

"It's not a house, it's a mansion." He responded, setting your bottle on the table.

"It smells great already," Aaron commented, guiding you and Jack to the couch.

Over the course of the next half hour, the team slowly filed into Rossi's _Mansion_. JJ brought Will and the kids, which was nice even though you had no idea what he was saying. Emily hit the booze pretty hard when she saw that Will was there, even though you were pretty sure that they snuck off together at one point during the party.

Spencer and Morgan arrived together, already bickering about statistics that Spencer brought up in the car. Penelope was, surprisingly, the last one to show up. However, when you saw her outfit, you weren't as surprised. She had on very tall heels paired with a short colorful dress. Her hair was curled and her makeup done with bright splashes of color.

Jack and Henry kept each other busy, which almost gave you and Aaron the night off. You and a _very_ drunken Emily tried to offer help to Dave in the kitchen, but he dismissed you both with loud Italian words. If Emily wasn't so hammered, you would have asked for a translation, but you weren't sure if she even knew English at that point.

The dinner was great, filled with laughter and storytelling. You heard some stories about Spencer that you'd never heard, something about Lila Archer and a swimming pool. Aaron refused to drink, telling you to quote 'let loose'. So you did.

It started pretty tamely, a few glasses of wine at dinner. When Rossi pulled out an old and expensive bottle of whiskey, your eyes lit up. Aaron almost stopped you, but he found drunk you so amusing.

"Ya' knnow something, Derek?" You asked, your head rolling around on your neck like it was a string.

"What's that, baby girl?" He was still sober, but you didn't catch the laugh. You and Emily were the only ones drinking heavily, which provided entertainment for the rest of the team.

"Yoou think that... " You paused, your fuzzy brain trying to form words, " _OH_ , I remember. You think that _I'm_ straight, don't cha?"

You and Emily burst out laughing, while the rest of the team sat in shock.

"I guess I don't anymore." Derek laughed, still stunned by your drunken outburst.

You wobbly stood from the couch, stumbling a bit before getting your footing, " _And,_ I can prove it" After speaking, you moved over to the pile that was Emily.

You pulled her to her feet, giggling when she slipped and fell to the ground again, pulling you on top of her. Luckily the team found your inebriated state very funny, and they already knew that you weren't straight from the New Year's Eve party.

Emily wiggled under you so that she could reach your face. Her strong hand, which seemed oddly sober compared to the rest of her body, grabbed your jaw and pulled you in for a hard kiss. You both completely forgot that the rest of the team was there, getting so caught up in each other's lips. She tasted like a mix of wine and whiskey, her tongue slipping into your mouth and wrestling with your tongue.

At some point, Aaron broke the two of you apart, claiming that Jack needed to get home. Somewhere in your drunken brain, you were glad that Jack had been fast asleep while you were rolling around on the ground with Emily.

**-December-**

Unfortunately, your anniversary with Aaron landed on the same day that you gave yourself over to Briza. Even so, you and Aaron commemorated the day in the only way possible; sex. Penelope offered to watch Jack, so you and Aaron could have some _alone time._

Within ten minutes of Jack being gone, you were covered in rope on Aaron's bed.

You were laid on your back, your hands gripping your ankles, and your forearms tied to your lower legs. He was slowly working a vibrator in and out of your exposed cunt. Aaron was lapping his tongue at your sensitive clit while angling the vibrator to hit your g-spot with each thrust. You had been on edge the past fifteen minutes, Aaron taking away the stimulation each time you got close.

"Please, daddy! I need to cum so bad! Please let me cum!" You whined, writhing and moaning on the bed.

He let out a low chuckle, sending more vibrations through your body, "Not yet, princess."

You let out a strangled whine, trying to buck your hips into the pleasure. He took everything away again, placing the vibrator on his bedside table. Your legs obstructed your view, but you could hear Aaron unzipping his pants and taking his shirt off.

With no warning, he plunged into you. You screamed out and he let out a low moan as he filled you to the hilt. He set up a bruising pace, chasing his high and pulling you along with him. Since he had been edging you for some time, you were quickly approaching your climax.

"Oh my god, daddy! I'm going to cum around your cock!" You screamed, your body starting to shake from constant pleasure rolling through your body.

His dick twitched at your words, "Cum, princess. Cum with me." He managed to grunt out before filling you with his cum.

When he pulled out, you felt his load spill on to your thighs. He quickly came back with a wet cloth and cleaned off your thighs. After he cleaned you up, he gently took the ropes off your legs and arms, letting them flop onto the bed.

After a round in the shower and one in the kitchen, you and Aaron fell asleep in your bed. Your legs were wrapped around his, and his arms were secured around your waist.

**-January-**

You and Aaron were in the exact spot you were a year ago. Aaron had his arms wrapped around your waist, his warm chest pressed against your back. The two of you were standing on the roof of Emily's apartment, waiting for the fireworks. There was a loud party thrown by Emily and Penelope, but you and Aaron weren't really feeling it.

He glanced at his watch, "Look, princess." He held his watch out so that you could see it.

"Ten, Nine, Eight, Seven, Six," You started to count down, turning to face Aaron.

"Five, Four, Three, Two." He took over-counting, moving his hand's cup your jaw.

"One." You said together, before moving in to kiss each other. The two of you barely registered the fireworks going off in the background.

His tongue swiped your bottom lip, eagerly asking for entrance into your mouth. You accepted, letting your tongue swirl around his. His hand roamed your body, never settling in one spot for too long.

"I love you, Aaron."

"I love you too, y/n."

**-February-**

There was a case in San Francisco, an arsonist. Aaron had a potential suspect that turned out to be a good guy. He had cancer and was just trying to get his affairs in order for his son. Even so, the man died in a fire that also killed the unsub.

 _"Y/n, don't put me on speaker,"_ Rossi called you on the way to the fire.

"Okay, go ahead." You said, waiting for your orders.

He sighed before speaking, _"There's no way to put this fire out, they can only contain it and keep it from spreading."_

You realized that there was no way to save him, "Alright, thanks, Dave."

When you stopped the car, Aaron promptly started to freak out, "Y/n, what are you doing?" He yelled, before getting out of the car.

Rossi and Morgan stopped him, "Hotch, _Hotch!_ There's no way to save them." Morgan shouted, holding Aaron back.

Aaron huffed and stopped fighting, "He wanted his death to mean something." He said sternly, tears forming in his eyes as he walked away.

"Aaron, stop. Aaron, come back." You ran to catch up with him, putting a hand on his shoulder to stop him.

"He just wanted his death to mean something." He mumbled, emotion racking through his body. Aaron didn't even attempt to stop the tears, he just turned to bury his face in your shoulder.

He let himself cry, his body slumping into yours.

**-March-**

The team was on the jet, on the way back from a case. It was a tiring one in Montana, so the flight was long. You and Aaron were huddled together on the couch, Aaron practically forcing Spencer off. It wasn't normal for him to do that, but he was so tired that he just wanted to lay with you and sleep.

Almost like clockwork, when you woke up you had around two dozen pictures of you and Aaron sent to you by Emily. Every time she did that, you cherished them, adding them to a folder labeled with Aaron's name.

**-April-**

It had been a whole year since you moved in with Aaron. It was strange to think about; around a year and a half ago, you hated everything that he did. But now, you couldn't be more obsessed with him. Sometimes it felt like you couldn't go a day without him. You looked forward to every hug, kiss, laugh. You were so deeply in love with him, and nothing could change that. 


	42. Chapter 42

It started mid-May. Aaron was starting to get very secretive and almost distant from you. Anytime you went into his office, he was on his computer and he would practically slam it closed when you would enter. You confronted him about it several times, but he insisted that nothing was different.

One day, you walked into Aaron's office at home, which he started using more often about a week ago, "Hey love, dinner's almost ready." You told him, feeling a pang in your chest when he snapped his computer closed.

"Okay, I'll be down in a second." He tried to find a paper to look like he was working.

You didn't respond, you just turned on your heel and walked out with a huff. It felt like he was moving backward in your relationship, whereas you were staying stagnant.

 _What if he's finally bored of me, and he's ready to move on?_ You thought sadly, walking back into the kitchen to pull the lasagna out of the oven. Of course, it was Rossi's recipe.

Aaron was soon down, grabbing Jack out of his room on the way. He plopped Jack down in his chair before sitting in his own. It practically drove you up the wall that he was acting like nothing was different.

"It smells delicious, angel." He said, leaning over to kiss you. Even though you were slightly upset, you still accepted his offer.

"Thank you, Aaron." You replied with a smile.

In the split second, you completely forgot about his weird demeanor and let yourself get completely caught up in the moment, but Jack pulled you from your trance, "Gross."

You and Aaron laughed, starting to dig into the dinner you prepared. It was moments like this that confused you. He would act so weird when he was in his office or when he was at the BAU. But at dinner and at night in bed, he acted like nothing was different.

The loud ring of Aaron's phone stopped the conversation and put you back into your sour mood. Without another word, he pulled his phone out and left the table. You sat silently, listening to his hushed words and his footsteps. A shake went down your spine when you heard his office door forcefully shut.

You tried to ignore the pit in your stomach, but the small tears in your eyes still persisted.

The last thing you wanted to happen, happened. "What's wrong, mama?" Jack asked from across the table, catching the tears forming in your eyes and the sad expression on your face.

Quickly, you swiped the tears from your eyes, "Nothing, sweetpea. Just thinking." You told him, brushing his hair out of his face.

He took that as an answer, turning back to his food and continuing to eat. You really wished that you believed your words, trying your best to take them to heart.

-

Later that night, you and Aaron were standing in the shower, letting the hot water wash away your tension. He had his arms around your waist and his bare chest pressed against your back. His hand was resting on your chest, his fingertips grazing against the scars under your collarbone.

You turned to face him, letting your left hand find his face and your right find the letters on his hip.

"Aaron, what's going on?" You asked, for what seemed like the hundredth time.

His face screwed into confusion, "Well, right now, we're standing naked in the shower." He mumbled as he leaned in to kiss you.

Your hand on his chest stopped him, "No, I mean what's going on with you? You've been distant and weird lately." You almost didn't want to say it, but you couldn't deal with it any longer.

"What do you mean?" He asked, but he knew what you were talking about. He hated what he was doing to you, but he couldn't stop. Not now.

"It doesn't take a profiler to notice a difference. _Every_ time I walk into your office, you hide your computer, and _every_ time you say that nothing's wrong." You sighed, trying to put more distance between you and him, but the small shower didn't allow much.

He moved to rest his hands on your hips, "I don't know what you're talking about. I'm not hiding anything, I just want to give you my full attention." He said while moving to kiss your neck.

You knew that he was trying to move your mind from the subject, and most times you wouldn't let him, but you were tired of fighting.

Aaron kissed his was down your neck, letting his lips kiss the scars under. His tongue traced over the letters, listening to your low moan. You arched into his touch and he grazed his hands up your sides.

Right then, your mind snapped back into gear. You grabbed his hands, snapping them back to his sides and pushing his body away from yours, "Nope. You don't get to touch me until you tell me what's wrong. So, you can tell me now or I'll leave." Your arms crossed over your chest defensively.

Hesitation hung in the air and you watched his eyes flit from yours, filled with guilt. The action sent a wave of hot anger over your body.

"Okay. Fine. You can tell me when you feel you're ready." You said shortly, stepping out of the shower and grabbing a towel.

"Y/n, wait." He tried to follow you, but you had already closed the bathroom door with a snap. You would have slammed it, but Jack was trying to sleep.

You were fuming, haphazardly grabbing clothes and putting them on, not registering that you were completely covered in his clothes. Once you realized, you didn't have enough effort in your body to change.

Laying on your side of the bed, you heard the bathroom door open and hot steam rolled out into the bedroom. Aaron didn't say anything as he got dressed and climbed into bed with you. He tried to pull your body against him, but you pushed him away and scooted closer to the edge of the bed.

"Y/n, please. I promise that nothing is wrong, nothing has changed. I'm not hiding anything from you." He reached to grab your hip and pulled you closer to him.

"Aaron, I'm really not in the mood. We have a strict rule against profiling each other, but if you don't stop; I won't hesitate." You grumbled, shoving his hand off your hip.

You hoped that that would make him stop, but alas it did not, "No, go ahead. Tell me what you think you know." He said, a hint of annoyance behind his words.

"No."

You stood from the bed and walked out of the room with a huff, going down the hall to the guest bedroom. Aaron was more than capable of telling you what's wrong, so you decided that you were going to be petty. You also knew that Aaron was more than capable of carrying you back to his bedroom without waking you, but you were hoping that he would respect your boundaries enough to leave you alone.

The spare bed was cold and hard, and it didn't smell like Aaron. The worst part was probably the fact that Aaron wasn't in it, but you could suffer through one cold night. You curled up in the middle of the bed, using the faint scent of Aaron on your clothes to lull you to sleep. Even though you were mad at him, you still loved him.

-

The next morning, you woke up to Jack wrapping himself around you.

"Hey, sweetpea. What are you doing in here?" You asked groggily, letting him snuggle into you.

His cold nose pressed against your neck as he spoke, "Dad left early, and I got lonely." He mumbled.

You glanced at the clock, seeing that it was five in the morning. He left _two hours_ early for work.

"I'm sorry, sweetpea. How about we snuggle for a little while, then we can go make breakfast and get you to school." You offered, trying to keep your emotions at bay.

He giggled as he curled further into you, your arms wrapping around his small frame. Once he was sound asleep, you finally let yourself freak out.

Aaron was doing the exact things to you that Haley did to him. He told you in great detail about the things she would do when she was cheating on him. She would leave the house early in the morning, she would get phone calls at weird hours, anytime Aaron picked up her phone there would only be static, and she was _extremely_ secretive around Aaron.

A small part of you thought that Aaron would never be capable of cheating on someone, after how much Haley hurt hum. But the glaring signs wouldn't leave you alone.

Deciding to let yourself think things over throughout the day, you made plans to confront him that night. At seven, after not getting a lick of sleep, you carefully slipped out of bed, carrying a sleeping Jack in your arms to the kitchen.

The small boy woke as you sat him on the counter, his tired form watching you make pancakes for the two of you. It was quiet, and you could tell that Jack sensed your tense mood, but he didn't say anything.

It was still quiet as you drove him to school, but you gave him a big smile as he ran off toward the open doors of the school.

When you parked in the garage at Quantico, you didn't see Aaron's car, so you assumed that he had just parked somewhere else. You walked to the elevator alone and rode up to the sixth floor alone.

In the bullpen, you stopped in the kitchen to grab a cup of coffee and said a 'good morning' to Spencer as he shoveled sugar into his cup. As you set your bags down at your desk, you glanced up at Aaron's office, expecting to see him working. For a moment, you thought that he might be in a meeting with Strauss, but he would have dropped his bags off at his office before going to see her, and his lights weren't even on.

A pang of anger and sadness washed over you. You practically marched up to Dave's office, not even bothering to knock as you entered.

"Alright, Dave. Spit it out. What the hell is wrong with Aaron?" You asked, setting your hands on your hips as waves of anger rolled off your shoulders.

His face screwed into genuine confusion, "Y/n, I don't have any idea what you're talking about. I haven't noticed anything." Rossi shrugged as he spoke.

"If you're lying to me to protect him, David, you'll be sorry." You mumbled as you walked out of his office.

You couldn't see straight, everything was fuzzy and you couldn't focus. The only thing you could think about was Aaron.

_He's probably with some blonde girl in a cheap motel. They're probably fucking right now. Who knows, maybe he's calling her little girl and princess while she moans into his ear. Damnit. I can't believe that he let me move in and get comfortable, start bonding with his son, and now he's going to throw it away on some cheap whore._

You felt yourself spiraling, but you did nothing to stop it. Sitting trapped in your own mind, you turned your chair to watch the elevator doors, waiting for Aaron to arrive, probably with disheveled hair and the smell of sex covering him.

After a half-hour, the doors finally opened. But the sight inside did nothing to ease your spinning mind.

Aaron and Emily walked out of the elevator, coffee from the same place secured in both their hands. Emily's laugh rang out in the hallway and through the open doors to the bullpen. He was smiling as he continued to walk into the bullpen, not even throwing so much as a glance your way as they continued to have a hushed conversation.

By the time they noticed your angry form at your desk, their faces fell and they separated.

"Well, um, anyways I've got a lot of work to do," Emily said, and you watched her pat his shoulder as his hand dropped from her back.

You felt a surge of anger, dropping your eyes to your desk as they stung with tears. You wouldn't dare let them fall, even as you glanced to see Aaron looking out into the bullpen from his office. Emily broke the silence, which felt like another dagger shoved into your back.

"How was your weekend, y/n?" She was completely ignoring your duress.

"Cut the shit, Em. What the fuck is going on? The past week and a half Aaron has been acting completely different, getting mysterious calls late at night, and this morning he left the house early. He didn't even tell me." You spat at her through a whisper, "And _then_ he comes into work a half-hour late with _you._ "

She was at a loss for words, her mouth open and her mind searching for a viable answer, "I- I really have no idea what you're talking about. Hotch and I just happened to get on the elevator at the same time." Emily lied through her teeth, and you could tell.

 _"Right."_ You seethed through a clenched jaw, standing up from your desk and grabbing your pile of files.

"Where are you going?" She asked, trying to grab your arm to stop you but you swerved from her reach.

You could barely produce words, but you managed to spit out, "I'm going to work in the batcave with Pen."

With that, you left the bullpen arms full of files and your bags. Haphazardly, you swiped your ID card and opened the door to Garcia's office.

"Hey, y/n! What's up?" She asked, turning around to see your disheveled state and hands full of files, "What's wrong?" Penelope stood from her chair to grab the folders from your arms.

"I'm just really pissed off and upset right now, and I can't be around Prentiss or Hotch" You sighed as you plopped down in a chair, "Can I work in here today? I promise I won't be a bother."

"Of course, but if something is bothering you, you should talk to Hotch about it. Especially if it bothers you enough not to call him 'Aaron'" She rolled her chair closer to you.

You let out a little laugh, "For someone who's not a profiler, Pen, you're pretty good at it." You said, ignoring the truth behind her words.

To be fair, you had asked Aaron and Emily what was wrong, and they neglected to tell you.

-

You spent the rest of the day in the batcave, deciding to eat there with Pen as well. It was weird, the first lunch you had without Hotch in months. You tried really hard to match Garcia's mood, but when you noticed you were bringing her down too, it made things worse.

"I'm sorry I'm such a bum today, Penelope." You apologized around five in the afternoon. You were glad that the day was almost over, but you dreaded that you only had one place to go.

"It's okay, y/n. If you want to talk about it, we can." She suggested, turning her monitors to the FBI seal and moving to sit in front of you.

You shrugged, not wanting to unload everything on her, "Aaron's been acting differently the past two weeks or so. Getting calls late at night and being really secretive. I don't know, it feels like he's keeping something from me" You said, your voice falling quiet.

"It feels like he's cheating on me." You whispered, tears forming in your eyes as you said the words out loud for the first time.

Her jaw dropped, "There's no way that he would do that. After what Haley put him through, there's no way he could hurt someone like that." Penelope grabbed your hand to further her words.

"He left for work early, but he came in after me. He was a half-hour late, and he walked in with Emily." You told her, severely hoping that she would disagree.

"Emily would _never_ do that. Never, not in a million years." She said, "I can go through Hotch's phone records if you really want me to?" She suggested.

"No Pen, I don't want to violate him like that. I'll talk to him about it later tonight. Do you want to get dinner or something? I don't think I'm ready to talk to him quite yet." You asked and she nodded her head yes as she grabbed her bags.


	43. Chapter 43

Right before you headed home from dinner, you got a text from Aaron.

_Aaron: Hey, love. Could you grab some kids Aspirin and Pepto on your way home? No rush, Jack's just not feeling too hot._

_Y/n: Of course, I'll be home in a half-hour._

_Aaron: Thanks, love you <3_

You quickly made your way to a drugstore, going straight to the pediatric medicine aisle and grabbing Aspirin and Pepto before heading to the counter. Immediately after receiving his text, you started to filter through his breakfast and his lunch you packed him, making sure you didn't give him anything bad or that he didn't like. Nothing.

Jack's unwell state pushed away your anger and replaced it with worry, and you were almost relieved that you could ignore your impending fight for a little while longer. You drove semi-recklessly back to your house, not wanting to prolong Jack's potential sickness.

When you parked, your stomach dropped to your feet. The last person you wanted to see was standing on your front porch.

Emily.

Trying to ignore your rage, you shot out of your car and tried to shoulder past her.

"Y/n, wait. Just stop for one second." She managed to grab your arm before you opened the door.

"Damnit, Em. Jack is sick, can we do this another time?" You growled, yanking your hand from her

She grabbed your shoulder the second time, "No, he's not. I had Aaron say that so that you would come home." Emily told you, which sent a wave of anger over your body.

"You had him lie about his son being sick so that you could _talk_ to me? You could have asked yourself, I would have said yes." You seethed, anger still rolling off your shoulders, radiating from her grip on your shoulder.

"Okay, y/n. Please just take a moment to calm down before you go inside, you won't want to be mad." Her words exchanged your anger for the confusion.

"What?"

"Are you calm?" She asked after a moment, confusion still enwrapping your mind.

"If confused is calm, then yes." You nodded, your anger pushed to the back of your thoughts and confusion and curiosity taking over.

When Emily opened the door, you gasped.

The living room and kitchen were covered in lit candles and roses. All the lights were out, the candles giving the room a warm yellow light. The floor had rose petals scattered across it, a path leading through the house and to the backyard.

Through tear-filled eyes, you could see a line of framed pictures also leading out to the backyard.

~

The first one was one of the pictures Emily took of you and Aaron on the plane; both of you were smiling and looking at each other. He was asking you out on your first date. Under the picture, there were words written.

_-The first time I asked you out._

The second was a picture of you and Aaron on your date and you could see the outline of your leg reaching toward his lap. Apparently, he had used pictures that were taken by a certain person but in that moment you couldn't give any damns.

_-The first time I realized how truly mischievous you are._

Next was a picture of you and Aaron walking out of the elevators at the BAU, your pinky wrapped around his. Both of you were mid-laugh in the picture, you could even see his dimples.

_-The first time I knew that I could never let you go._

Then there was a picture of you curled up next to Aaron in a hospital bed, his arms around you, and the two of you sleeping soundly.

_-The first time I realized that I couldn't sleep without you._

Next was a picture of Aaron sitting beside your hospital bed, you fast asleep. You could see tears on Aaron's face as he held your hand in his. The bruises on your face didn't even phase you as you looked at the picture.

_-The millionth time I told you that I love you._

The sixth was a picture of you and Jack on Christmas morning. You were sitting on the floor, doing your best to stay awake as Jack told you about a toy he got. You didn't even know that half of these pictures existed.

_-The first time you and Jack bonded._

Seventh was a picture of you and Aaron dancing in the snow on Christmas day, his arms secured around your waist and yours around his neck.

_-The first time you told me you love me._

Then there was an image of you and Aaron huddled together in Alaska, your hand wrapped around his and shoved into his pocket. Your head was laying on his shoulder and his cheek was sitting against the top of your head.

_-The first time you let me hold your hand in front of the team._

Ninth was a picture of you and Aaron feeding each other ice cream in a hotel in LA. In the picture, you had a spoon in his mouth and he had one in yours. Smiles plastered over both of your faces, as well as ice cream.

_-When I realized that I've Got a Friend in You._

Next was an image of you putting a new key onto your keyring.

_-When I gave you a key to my house._

The eleventh was an image of you and Aaron surrounded by boxes. This one, you and Aaron were posing for. All the others had been candid.

_-When the love of my life moved in with me._

Next was a picture of you and Jack rolling around in the grass. Both of you were laughing and Jack's legs were blurry from kicking and flailing.

_-The first time you told me you love Jack._

Then there was an image of you, Aaron, and Jack at Harry Potter World in Florida. Jack was sitting on Aaron's shoulders and you were holding Aaron's hand.

_-The first time Jack told me he loves you._

Next was a picture of the car he got you.

_-Our first car._

Fifteenth was an image of you and Emily on top of each other. It was Thanksgiving and the rest of the team was surrounding you, laughing and smiling.

_-The second time you came out to the team, again._

Sixteenth, there was a picture of you and Jack from this morning. You had no idea how he got it because you were sure you didn't fall asleep, but you couldn't find the effort to care.

_-When I knew that today would be the day that I do this._

Lastly, there was a picture of you and Aaron hugging. You were looking deep into his eyes and his lips were formed into a huge smile.

_-I love you._

~

When you made it to the last picture, there were thick tears streaming down your face and your hand had grabbed Emily's as you were walking. It explained why he had been so secretive.

Looking out of the open back door, you saw more roses, rose petals, and candles in the yard. The rest of the team was waiting for you. Out of everyone there, you couldn't spot Aaron. Next thing you knew, you felt a small hand grab your left hand.

Jack started to tug you out into the yard, "Come on, mama." He said, leading you to the center of the yard. He was dressed in a cute, little suit. His feet were covered by dress shoes, and if you checked you were sure that he was wearing dress socks. He really pulled out all the stops.

While you were walking, you took a moment to glance around the yard, letting your eyes connect with everyone there. Emily was standing hand-in-hand with JJ, Spencer was standing next to Derek who had his arms around an already crying Penelope, and David was wearing a smug expression as he shot you a wink. Jessica was there too, obviously supporting Aaron in his decision.

Looking forward again, you saw Aaron. It was like he appeared out of thin air, he already had tears falling from his eyes and he was dressed in a nice tux. He was wearing blue and purple, the two of yours favorite colors.

"Hey, love," He said, taking your hand from Jack.

"Hi." Was all you could sigh out through heavy tears.

Your tears increased as he slowly took both your hands in his and lowered himself onto one knee.

"Y/n. I wasn't sure if I would ever get the nerve to do this but, here I am, on the dirty ground. I have loved you for every second of the past year and a half. There is nothing I wouldn't do for you, and there is nothing you could do to get rid of me. I know that you were freaked out the past couple of days, but I'm hoping that you can understand why I did what I did." He started to speak, his voice thick with tears and his hands were trembling around yours.

"You are my everything. You are my rock, my love, my pick-me-up, my _mistress_ ," You blushed deeply as he said the last word, "my shoulder to cry on, my favorite person in the world, my princess. I don't think I can stand another moment apart from you, and I can't imagine who I would be without you." His tears started falling faster as he spoke, his hands tightening around yours for stability.

"You are my true and everlasting love." Aaron's words caught in his throat.

"I love you inevitably and extraordinarily." You let your tears drip down your chin and splash onto your shirt.

"My love for you is vast and overtaking." He managed to say, his words continuing to trap in his tight throat.

"And I love you more than you could ever know, and I want to spend the rest of my life showing you just how much I love you." You felt your knees starting to go weak at his words.

You watched as Jack handed Aaron a ring box. He opened the box to show you the ring inside it. It was a rose gold ring, with a purple gem in the center and white diamonds surrounding it and the band.

"Will you, y/f/n y/m/n y/l/n, marry me?" He could barely squeeze his words out through his tears.

Your words seemed to catch in your throat, but you managed to push them out, "Yes, Aaron. Yes!" You answered through a mix of a laugh and a cry.

He slipped the ring onto your ring finger on your left hand and stood up. Aaron roughly grabbed your face, pulling you in for a hard kiss.

It was filled with tears, but you could only feel one thing. You could only feel love surging through your body. Every cell in your body was screaming, every nerve shaking, every thought was consumed by Aaron's love.

Around you, you could hear the far off sound of cheering and clapping, the team crowding around you as you broke the kiss and set your forehead against his.

"I love you, Aaron Christopher Hotchner." You breathed out, not wanting the moment to end.

"I love you, y/f/n y/m/n y/l/n." He kissed you again, letting his tongue swipe against your lower bottom before he broke the kiss.

The team engulfed you and Aaron in hugs and congratulations, but the first person you thought about was Jack. You pulled him into your arms, hugging him tightly before talking.

"What do ya' think, Jack? Do you think I should go through with it? Should I marry him?" You asked.

"YES!" He squealed, throwing his arms around your neck again. "I love you, mama."

"I love you too, sweetpea." You said through a smile.

The rest of the night was filled with laughing and drinking, the team trying to not so obviously get out of the house. Jessica offered to take Jack for the night, and Aaron went to accept but you stopped him. You wanted to spend the night with your two boys, cuddling and just staying in your happy bubble. You could have sex another time.

You, Aaron, and Jack spent the night watching Toy Story to commemorate your engagement. Your left hand set on Aaron's chest, his fingertips running over the newly minted ring. The jewelry grounded you, every time you moved your hand you were reminded of Aaron's undying love for you.

At the end of the night, after putting Jack to bed, you and Aaron were standing in the backyard again.

"I'm sorry I freaked out on you, I should have trusted you." You and Aaron were swaying to music playing off your phone, your head pressed against his chest.

"It's okay, y/n. I understood why you were, and it killed me to keep it from you." He moved to kiss you again.

"I love you, and I am so excited to marry you, Aaron Hotchner." Your eyes looked deeply into his.

"I love you too, and I'd elope if you wanted to." He said with a chuckle.

"Yeah, and have Dave and Penelope kill us? I wouldn't be surprised if they're already planning the wedding." You let your head lay against his chest again.

He laughed again, "Fine by me."

You and Aaron spent the rest of the night wrapped around each other, finding another way to declare your love for each other. It was slow and passionate, Aaron whispering sweet nothings in your ear as you came.

The only thing you felt when he touched you was love, and the only thing that you could think about was him. Your love was also endless and unbreakable. And you couldn't wait to spend the rest of your life with him. 


	44. Chapter 44

A day into your engagement with Aaron, Penelope was already asking about wedding details. She wanted to know everything, and you and Aaron had no idea what to tell her. You two had virtually no time to talk about it, considering you had only gotten engaged the night prior.

"Pen, I don't know what to tell you. We haven't started talking about it yet. When we do, I'll let you know straight away." You told her while walking into the bullpen, she had been waiting to ambush you when you got off the elevators.

She took that as an answer and walked into the bullpen ahead of you. You and Aaron laughed together as you followed her. Aaron kept your hand in his till he absolutely had to let go, kissing your temple before walking up to his office.

"How's my favorite set of lovebirds?" Morgan asked you, wiggling his eyebrows at you.

"We're great, how's my favorite _single_?" You shot back with a laugh, earning one from Spencer and Emily too.

He clapped his hand over his chest, faking pain, "Ouch." Derek said before laughing with everyone else.

The four of you were pulled out of your conversation by the sound of Aaron's door shutting with a snap. He was on the phone, pacing a small path in front of his desk.

"Any idea what that was?" Emily looked to you, and you shrugged.

"None, I'm sure he'll tell us if it's important." You said as you sat down.

The rest of the team settled in, grabbing various files and papers. JJ had yet to tell the team about a case, so you all assumed that it would be a boring day of paperwork and stale coffee. It had been ten minutes, and when you glanced up at Aaron's office you saw that he was still on the phone.

JJ had come into the bullpen from her office, just to greet the team, when Aaron finally stepped out of his office.

"We have a case, wheels up in ten. We'll brief on the plane." He said, go-bag already in hand.

JJ looked at him in confusion, "Nothing's come across my desk."

"This one came directly to me, we're headed to New York. Grab your bags." Aaron told the team, watching them start to pack their bags. He walked over to you, reaching for your ready-bag already in your hand.

You handed him the bag with a roll of your eyes, "You know, I'm more than capable of carrying my own bag." You grabbed his open hand and started to walk out of the bullpen with him.

"Yeah, but why should a princess have to carry her own bag." He turned to kiss you lightly once you were in the elevator.

-

The flight to New York was short, only about an hour. Aaron told the team about the case, you had your left hand on his thigh. His fingers traced over your ring as he spoke. Penelope was joining you guys on the case, NYPD's camera system being important apparently. The team was sitting on the tarmac, waiting for the jet to take off. JJ was in the cockpit, letting the pilots know that the team was ready.

"There's been a string of shootings in New York City. The victims were each killed in completely different neighborhoods." Aaron started to take the team through the case. "Hell's Kitchen, Murray Hill, Lower East Side, Chinatown, and East Harlem."

Spencer was the next to speak, "It doesn't make sense, there's no common victimology, no sexual component, no robbery, no geographical connection. Do the police have any leads?"

"He's killing roughly every two days. The press is having a field day, and it sounds like the mood on the street's getting pretty edgy." Aaron answered Spencer's question.

"It's a joint FBI- NYPD taskforce?" Rossi asked from his spot in front of you and Aaron.

Aaron nodded, "Kate Joyner heads up the New York field office. She's running point on the case and called me directly."

Well, there's the answer to the mysterious phone call from earlier. You also heard something different in his voice, a familiarity with her name, and it didn't seem professional. Shaking your head slightly, you rid your head of the thoughts and zeroed back into the conversation.

"Kate's starting to butt heads with the lead detectives and wanted a fresh set of eyes." You didn't like the sound of her name in his mouth. You tried to shake the jealousy from your mind, wiggling your fingers to remind yourself of the ring on your left hand.

"Joyner, I know her. She's a brit, right?" Morgan asked from the couch.

"Well, she has dual citizenship. Her father's British, her mother's American." You felt a new wave of jealousy when he started to reveal his extensive knowledge of her, "She was a big deal at Scotland Yard before coming to the Bureau."

You wiggled your hand again, trying to let your ring ground your flying mind.

"I heard she can be a little bit of a pain in the ass," Morgan said, and you agreed, even though you had never heard of her before then.

"I didn't think so," Aaron responded shortly, and that didn't help.

"You know her?" Emily asked him from her seat next to Dave. Her eyes locked on yours for a moment, reading you like a book.

"We liaised when she was still at Scotland Yard." He answered, squeezing your hand in his. Probably sensing your discomfort and change in emotion.

"And she's good?" Dave asked, eyeing you for a moment as well.

"I think we're lucky to have her." He said.

 _Nope. Nope. Nope._ You thought, pulling your hand from his grip to roll the ring on your finger. It was doing nothing to calm your nerves.

"Alright, get whatever rest you can till we get there." Aaron dismissed the team before turning to you. The jet started to take off as you moved your eyes to meet his.

"Y/n?" He asked with worry and confusion.

"Yes?" You answered, pressing the ring into your finger. You couldn't get the uneasy feeling to shake.

"What was that?" He grabbed your hands, stopping you from pressing the metal into your skin.

You sighed, shaking your head, "I don't know. I just didn't like the way you said her name. Did you sleep with her? Kate?"

His brows furrowed at your words, "No? Did I give the impression that I did?"

"You seemed overly fond of her, and you got defensive when Morgan called her a prude." You shrugged, dropping your eyes to your hands.

"First off, I never slept with her. I promise that if I had, I would tell you. Second off, that's awfully close to profiling." He was getting defensive, again.

You reached to cup his jaw lightly, "I'm sorry, Aaron. I didn't mean it like that. I just got oddly jealous, I don't know why. I believe you."

He nodded his head in your hand, moving one of his to grip your knee, "Get some rest, princess. We have about an hour till we're there." He told you, letting you lay your head on his shoulder.

You knew that you probably looked like a teenager getting mad that he was talking to another girl, but there was something about the way he changed when he talked about her that irked you. Even so, you let yourself drift off for the rest of the flight.

 _I'm sure nothing's wrong, this case will be over in a breeze and we'll go home and start planning our wedding._ You thought to yourself.

-

Once in the New York Field office elevator, you felt nervousness and jealousy bubbling in the pit of your stomach. Even though Aaron's hand never left yours, and if it did it was only to grab your bag or move to your leg, you couldn't shake the uneasy feeling.

When you stepped off the elevator, you saw a short blonde woman walking towards the team. As her face came into focus, your jaw dropped. Along with JJ, Emily, and Penelope's.

Kate Joyner looked exactly like Haley. Like they could be sisters or even twins. Kate looked like Haley more than Jessica looked like Haley.

"It is just me, or does she look exactly like Haley?" JJ voiced everyone's thoughts.

Aaron had dropped your hand as he stepped off the elevator, which was completely normal.

"Kate." He said shortly, reaching to shake her hand with the same one that was previously gripping yours.

"Aaron, how have you been?" Kate answered, her English accent ringing through the busy bullpen.

"Good, thank you." Aaron told her, before turning to introduce the team, "Kate Joyner, this is David Rossi, Emily Prentiss, Jennifer Jareau, Penelope Garcia, Derek Morgan, Spencer Reid, and my fiancé y/f/n y/l/n."

Aaron rested his hand on your shoulder as he said your name, his face pulling into a smile.

Her eyes stayed on you for a moment too long before speaking, "Thanks for being here. Anything that you need, just tell me." Kate addressed the team. "Please don't stand on protocol."

"What can you tell us about the city's surveillance system?" Garcia asked from the back of the group.

Kate turned to look at Penelope, "It's run by the NYPD and it's still in the infant stages. It's been rather controversial because of American privacy laws." You hated the way she sounded so pretentious with her accent, "But, they've had some success."

"And I'll have complete access?" Penelope clarified after Kate's rambling.

Agent Joyner nodded, "They're already expecting you."

Spencer was the next to speak, "I'd like to get a map of the borough. I want to do a comprehensive geographical profile of the area in order to ascertain the unsub's mental map before it's clouded by our own linkage blindness."

As he was speaking, two men were approaching the group of people. An older man with short grey hair who looked like he reeked of alcohol and cigarettes, and a younger man with darker hair and a slightly more friendly demeanor. They both looked like they were from New York, just from the way they held themselves.

The older spoke first, "I see you brought your own computer." His accent was thick, a true New Yorker accent. You had to hold yourself back from rolling your eyes, he hadn't even met the team and he was already passing judgment.

"Detectives Brustin" Kate gestured to the older man, "and Cooper." She gestured to the younger. "I'll let you do the introductions."

Dave spoke up first, "You caught the first shooting?"

The younger man, Cooper, answered, "They've all been in different precincts. It wasn't until the third murder that anyone even made the connection."

"I guess this is where we play nice and ask you what you need." Detective Brustin's gravely voice asked annoyance weaved into his tone. You clenched your hands at your side, and Aaron brushed his pinky over your hand as a way to tell you to keep your head cool.

Kate gave a fake laugh, which caused your fists to ball tighter, "I'll let you all figure out what that is. I just ask that you run everything back through me. It's been my experience that having one butt on the line is enough."

"Yes, Ma'am," Brustin replied sarcastically.

You rolled your eyes before watching Kate lean closer to Aaron. She turned her whole body to face him, whereas earlier she was turned to face the group. "Can I have a word with you in private?" Kate asked, which sent another wave of jealousy through your body.

"Sure." He answered before turning to follow her into her office. "Excuse me." Aaron gave the team a quick glance, letting his eyes land on yours for longer, and then continued to follow her.

Emily turned to talk to JJ, who wasn't aware of their _past_ , "They, um..." She glanced at you, " _Liaised_ when she was at Scotland Yard." The rest of the team gave a nervous chuckle.

JJ nodded her head, her eyes also landing on you, "Of course."

You turned to look into Kate's office, watching the two people talk. He was standing about five feet away from her, yet you felt like that was still too close.

She said something, and you were a terrible lip reader, so you had no idea what they were talking about. When the corners of his mouth barely tipped upwards into a half-hearted smile, you about rushed in and ripped her hair out, but you relented.

You forced yourself to tear your eyes away, following Spencer and Emily into a different part of the station.

"So, what's your partner's problem?" You asked, turning to Detective Cooper.

"By the fourth murder, the FBI was brought in, which is good. But all the sudden, she's taking meetings with the mayor and calling your guys in without us knowing." Cooper told you, but his eyes landed firmly on Emily.

"We're only here to help, think of us as a resource." She told him.

His mouth curled into a grin, "Okay, profile me."

"What am I thinking?"

You and Spencer turned to look at Emily, shit-eating grins across both your faces, "It's never gonna happen." Emily says with a fake smile and a laugh, shaking her head.

Cooper's face dropped into a frown, "We've got five murders on our hands. No offense, but I hope it gets better than that." He said before walking away.

-

Spencer, Emily, and Copper all worked on the geo-profile, plotting out all the locations of the shootings on a transparent map. You, Morgan, Rossi, and Detective Brustin went to the spot of the most recent murder, to walk through it and go through potential motives.

After spending over an hour with Brustin, you realized just how whole-heartedly you hated him. His attitude alone was terrible, not to mention that he dismissed everything you said. Although, he didn't pay much attention to what Rossi and Morgan said either.

In the time that your group was gone, Emily and Spencer had gotten through the geographical profile. However, it didn't do much to tell you where he would strike next. All that you did know, is that he wouldn't kill near his house, which leaves the rest of the city at risk.

Right as you got back to the station, news of another murder broke.

At the freshest crime scene, there was a man lying face down in the street. He had been shot in the back of the head while hailing a taxi. There, however, was a new piece of evidence.

A calling card.

"Is this what it felt like during the Son-of-Sam?" Kate asked, standing next to Aaron. You tried to focus on the case, but you knew the second you got to your hotel room, you definitely wouldn't hold back. You only hoped that Aaron wouldn't judge you for your blatant insecurity.

"First we realized that if the violence was truly random, there was almost no way of stopping it," Brustin answered from his spot next to you. You were right, he reeks of cigarettes. "It seems like these people have figured that out."

"From that placement of the camera, odds are the only view they're gonna get the back of his head," Morgan said with a sigh.

Kate retaliated with hostility, "Let's not be too quick to decide what we do or don't have." She snapped as she shouldered past Morgan.

Morgan was taken aback, his eyes following Kate as she walked off.

"Whoo! The Duchess of work has spoken." Detective Brustin said, which made you snicker. Your laugh earned a glare from Aaron, but you ignored it.

You didn't care who it was, anyone insulting her was funny in your book. It turns out that Morgan was going to replace Kate if she didn't land this case.

-

After a few hours, the team finally checked into the hotel. You had been holding your tongue since you were at the latest crime scene. Kate had the ability to get under your skin, and she was probably unaware of the effect that she had on you.

You honestly didn't know why you were so jealous. Aaron had literally proposed the day prior, and you knew that he was rigorously faithful. There was something in the way she addressed him and looked at him that just made your skin crawl.

You and Aaron roomed together, JJ and Emily together, Penelope with Derek, and Spencer ended up alone. Rossi bought his own room, not wanting to deal with Spencer's sleep talking. The hotel was nice, nicer than the normal rooms you would get. JJ probably convinced that the proximity to the station would help in the investigation, no matter the price.

"God, I just want to sleep forever." You grumbled as you dropped your bags on the desk.

Aaron wrapped his arms around your waist and connected his lips to your neck, "I know, princess."

"I also want to scream." You slipped out of his arms and grabbed your bag.

"Scream?" He asked, shucking his jacket and tossing it over the chair.

You sighed, "I know that you said nothing happened with Kate, and I believe that and I believe you."

"But?" Aaron prompted while tugging on his tie.

You walked to gently unknot his tie, "But she acts like something happened. I don't know..." You paused for a moment, trying to choose your words carefully, "I don't like the way she looks at you or the way she talks to the team. She acts like she's better than us."

"Are you saying that we're better than her?" Aaron asked while pulling his shoes off.

"No one is supposed to be better in this situation, we're supposed to work together. She's acting like she doesn't want us here, even though she's the one who called us in." You huffed, starting to shed some of your outer layers.

"I think she's just on edge, especially since Morgan is here. Her job is on the line with this case, and Morgan could be the one to replace her." He reached to take your blazer from you, which you gave to him.

You sat on the edge of the bed to pull your boots off, "Still, it doesn't help that she's contradicting everything Derek says. I understand that she's nervous about this case, but Morgan's not a shark. I doubt he would take the job in the first place."

"That won't stop the brass from demoting her." He accepted the shoes from you, placing them next to his.

"Why are you defending her? She's dismissing Morgan, even if he's right. That type of behavior could cause the case to turn on its head. If she keeps treating everything Derek says like poison, then she's definitely going to lose her job." You were starting to get angry. It wasn't that hard to see that she was treating Derek very differently, and it didn't take a profiler to notice.

He started to unbutton his shirt, "Can we table this till morning? It's been a long day, and I just want to spend a nice night with my fiancé." Aaron asked, moving his hands to set on your hips.

You let yourself get pulled out of your head, even though you weren't close to being done with the subject, "Hmm. Did you have something in mind, my prince?" You wrapped your arms around his torso.

He kissed you gently, "Before anything happens, we need to shower." Aaron spoke into the kiss, moving his hands from your waist to start unbuttoning your shirt.

"How scandalous, a boss showering with his subordinate." You hummed, moving to unbutton his shirt as well.

"I would use a different word that starts with 'sub'." Aaron's lips smiled against yours as he spoke.

You smiled as well, letting your hands run across his bare chest, "And what word would that be, _daddy_?" You dug your nails in as you clawed down from his chest to his waistband.

His pupils dilated at your words and his eyes went dark with lust at your actions, "You're going to be a good, little sub. We're going to shower, and then you're going to do everything I tell you to do. Understand?" He practically growled.

"Yes, daddy. I understand. I'll be your good girl." You almost moaned on your words, looking up into his dark eyes.

"Why, " He threaded his finger through your hair.

"do I, " His fingers tightened your hair into a ball.

"have trouble believing that," He pulled your hair, forcing your head to look up.

 _"Brat?"_ His lips grazed over yours, not giving you the satisfaction of a full kiss.

This time you did moan, letting your body press against his. He chuckled and moved your body back so that he could continue unbuttoning your shirt. Then he moved to your pants, unzipping them and pulling them off your body.

You were standing in front of him, in only your bra and underwear, trying not to wilt under his intense gaze. His shirt was open to his bare chest, but otherwise he was still completely clothed.

"Why don't you go get the shower ready for daddy?" He told you, a yelp leaving your mouth when he smacked your ass as you walked into the bathroom.

Once in the bathroom, you let all the tension fall from your shoulders. You knew that you and Aaron would talk more about it, but for now, you just wanted to have a nice night with him.

You leaned down to turn the water, letting the water slip through your fingers. As the water was warming up, you felt Aaron's fingertips run a line up your spine, sending a shiver through your body, despite the now warm water.

Next, he gripped your hips and ground his half-hard boner into your ass, revealing that he was only wearing boxers now. He let a low groan leave his mouth at the felling. You wiggled your hips and pressed against him, but he didn't like that.

His grip tightened on your hips, his nails leaving crescent indentations in your skin, "I didn't tell you to be a slut, did I?"

"Sorry, daddy." You tried to keep your grin from showing through your words.

He unclasped your bra, letting it drop down your arms and to the ground, then he hooked his fingers into the waistband of your panties and shoved them down to your ankles.

"Go ahead and get in, princess." He told you, stripping his boxers off before stepping in after you.

The first part of the shower was pretty tame, he washed your hair and you washed him. When it came time to wash your bodies, that's when things went sideways.

Aaron poured a generous amount of your body wash into his hand before working up a lather. He started on your back, letting his hands run up and down your spine. Then, he wrapped his arms around your waist. His hands ran across your abdomen before moving up to your breasts.

His hands groped and kneaded the flesh on your chest, letting your head fall back onto his shoulder. Your lips connected to his ear, sucking lightly on the lobe and earning a hushed gasp from Aaron.

Next, he drifted his hands down your sides and let his hands catch on your hips for a moment. You gasped when he roughly turned your soapy body to face him, his hands reaching to grip your ass.

After he was done cleaning you, you went to do the same for him. Your hands rubbed suds up and down his chest, the small patch of hair holding greedily to the soap. He turned to let you wash his back, pressing your hands firmly into his shoulders to release the tension he held there.

"You're too tense all the time." You whispered, pressing a kiss into his neck.

You were surprised when he let your sudsy hand grip his half-hard cock. He let you stroke him till his full erection was hard in your hand. Aaron turned to rinse off the soap, before stepping out of the shower and grabbing two towels. He, however, didn't hand you the towel. Instead, he gently dried you off before quickly toweling himself off.

"Are you ready, princess?" He whispered into your ear, sending a shiver down your spine.

"Yes, daddy." You breathed, feeling his warm chest pressed against your back.

You figured that his next order would be for you to go back into the room, but he seemed to have other ideas. His mouth attached to your neck, starting to suck a mark into your pulse point. You let your head roll back, resting on his shoulder and a low moan bubbling from your chest.

His rough hands started on your hips but quickly made their way to your core. You tried to grind down on his hand, but he pulled away before you could get any pleasure.

"Such a needy little whore." He mumbled into your neck, "Do you want to cum on your daddy's fingers? Is that all you need?"

You nodded and moaned when he pressed two fingers onto your clit, but he didn't award much more than that.

"If you really want it, then you're going to have to beg. Like the slut you are." He said, moving one of his hands up to grip your neck but not applying much pressure.

"Please, daddy. I want to cum on your thick fingers. I need your fingers inside my tight little pussy." You whined, not being mindful of potential neighbors, "Please, finger fuck me like your whore."

That was more than enough for Aaron to grant your wish. He angled his wrist down and let two fingers press deeply into your cunt. You immediately moaned, letting your hips grind down on his hand.

He started to curl his fingers with each thrust and added a clench of his hand around your throat with each movement. When your walls started to flutter around his fingers, he started to tighten his hand around your throat with more vigor.

As you came, the euphoria hit you and Aaron's hand clenched around your throat, almost completely cutting off your air. You managed to get out a raspy moan as you quivered around his fingers. After you came down from your high, he let go of your neck and gently pulled you into his arms.

"If you're tired after that, you'll never last through what I want to do." He said quietly, pulling you completely into his arms and lifting you off the floor.

You perked up at his words, arousal starting to course through your body again. He walked out of the bathroom and set you down on the bed. You waited for him to pounce, but when you looked up at him he wasn't moving.

He was drinking in your naked form on the bed, trying to carve every detail into his memory. Every supple curve and edge. The way your breasts sat on your chest, the way your breath heaved slightly with anticipation. You could practically see his mind racing, so you spoke up.

"Aaron? Whatcha' thinking about?" You leaned up on your elbows.

"I think I just fell in love with you, all over again." He said gently, before cupping your face in his hands and pulling you into his kiss.

The kiss was rough, but there was a change. His lips seemed to fit better against yours, they were caressing yours. It was almost like they were cradling them, but his kiss quickly became needy. His tongue delved into your mouth, finding that your tongue met his with the same fervor.

"God, princess. I love you so much." Aaron pushed you down onto the bed as he spoke.

You laid under him, ready for his impending attack, "Show me."

You hooked your leg over his waist and pulled his hard cock against your entrance, "Show me how much you love me."

You kissed him as he pressed into you, moans leaving both of your mouths as he quickly filled you. You kept your leg around him, giving him pristine access to hit your g-spot with each thrust.

He started to build a pace, but you wanted this to last.

"Aaron, slow down. We have all the time in the world." You moved your hand to his face and pulled him into a kiss. His hips slowed down, a groan leaving his mouth as you kissed his lips harder.

You rolled your hips to meet his thrusts, letting him hit deeper inside of you. He moved his head to set on your shoulder, pleasure coursing through his body as he continued to push into you. As he started to increase his thrusts again, you felt the familiar coil tightening in your core.

As you started your climb towards your climax, you let your fingernails rake down his back, leaving angry red lines down his muscled back.

"Oh god, princess, you feel so good." He groaned, slowing his thrusts to almost imperceivable. "Such a good little cock sleeve for me."

You moaned at his words, arching your back to press your chest against his. Your moans spurred on his dirty talking, increasing his words.

"I could keep you like this, on the edge, forever. A writhing, moaning mess under my touch." He started to press hot, open mouth kisses to your chest and neck, letting his tongue trail up to your mouth.

"You're so gorgeous, taking my cock like the true whore you are." His hips finally started to stutter, his release starting to creep upon him.

"Are you going to cum? Are you going to cum on your daddy's cock like a good little slut?" He asked, feeling your walls start to flutter around him.

You let out a high pitched moan before speaking, "Yes, _oh fuck_ , I'm going to cum. _Fuck_ , I'm going to cum all over your cock, daddy." You sighed, pressing your lips against his.

He grunted, speeding up his pace from brutal to ruthless. Aaron's scratch covered chest was heaving with the effort, his hips trying to continue his pace. The twitch of his dick in you alerted you to his impending release.

"I want you to cum in me, daddy. I want you to fill me, I want you to breed me." Your words starting spilling out before you could stop them, your breeding kink that you didn't know you had making its debut.

Your words sent him over the edge, his hot ropes of cum shooting deep into your cunt, which pushed you over the edge. You clenched around him, milking him for everything he was worth. He kept thrusting, pushing his seed deeper into you and pulling you through your orgasm.

When he pulled out, you whined, still extremely sensitive from the two orgasms. He quickly grabbed a warm, wet cloth and cleaned your legs up. He grabbed one of his dress shirts from your bag, you had a habit of taking them for yourself and a pair of underwear. You were a tired lump on the bed, letting him move around you and pull the clothes onto your limp limbs.

After he clothed himself in a pair of boxers, he turned out all the lights and pulled the covers over both of you. His strong arms pulled you into his body.

"I love you, y/n." He mumbled, tiredness peaking through his tone.

"I love you too, Aaron." You said, pressing a kiss into his lips.

It was like your bodies were two perfect puzzle pieces, your left leg wrapped around his waist, and the other tangled with his legs. His arms wrapped around your waist and shoulders, your face pressing into his chest.

You never wanted to move from the spot, you wanted to spend eternity with him. And you were going to. You were going to spend the rest of your life with him.


	45. Chapter 45

After sharing a quick shower with Aaron, the two of you headed back to the New York Field office. Luckily, no more bodies dropped overnight. The bullpen was full of antsy officers and agents, anxiously awaiting the profile.

"Okay, let's start with what we know. With these unsubs, it's not personal. It's not about sex, it's not about greed." Morgan told the group, looking to Emily to piggy-back off his statement.

"Which is why we think there's something bigger at play. This isn't random. There has to be a motive." She told them, watching them take down notes.

You spoke next, "Now, our first theory is that we're dealing with a team. In the case of the D.C. snipers, there was actually one intended victim."

"John Muhammad wanted to kill his ex-wife, but he knew that if he did, he'd be the prime suspect, so he created a spree in order to mask his primary motivation," Spencer said, moving his hands as he talked.

Kate spoke after him, which sent boiling jealousy over your body, even though she was only doing her job, "Muhammad and Malvo also left a death card at one of their scenes, just like this unsub."

"We believe our unsubs have studied that case. They're opening a line of communication." Aaron said as he stepped forward. His pinky brushed against the back of your hand as he did so, like his own private way of saying I love you. He did it a lot.

"Hold on. So now we got these guys playing games just 'cause you're here?" A random officer asked in a rude and annoyed tone.

Emily quickly answered the detective, "We're just saying the unsubs are sophisticated enough to study other crimes." She said, matching his tone.

"That doesn't answer the question." Another officer spoke up.

Cooper stepped forward to talk, "Joe, easy. Here them out."

"What's the other theory?" The first officer asked.

"It's less likely, but it could be some sort of gang initiation," Rossi said, before going through the rest of the profile with the officers.

That shut up the rest of the officers till the team finished the profilers and sent them out. They had pretty simple instructions, canvas their precincts for previous offenders that fit the profile.

Once the room emptied almost completely, the main team met in a conference room. Kate couldn't seem to take her eyes off the mark exposed on your neck. Instead of it making you mad, you fought to keep a smirk off your face.

 _That's right, take a look at what Aaron did to me last night. You wish you could have a man that's half as good as him._ You thought to yourself and raised your eyebrows at her, before turning your thoughts back to the case.

"We've got all the available undercovers on the street, so there's nothing else we can do but work through potentials," Kate said to the group that consisted of the BAU team, Cooper and Brustin, and _of course_ Agent Joyner.

"Hotch, we should go out on the streets too," Morgan said, disregarding what Kate has said completely.

Before Aaron could answer, Kate, cut in, "We have more than enough people out there, a few more agents wouldn't change that." She said coldly.

Right then, a phone rang.

"Garcia?" Aaron answered the phone, putting it on speaker.

"Sir, we've got a potential on fifty-ninth and Lex." She said quickly.

Morgan slammed his hands on the table, "Fifty-ninth? We could have been right there."

Before Aaron could respond, Penelope spoke again, "He's got a gun."

Aaron ran his hand through his hair, trying to find something to help the situation.

"He shot her." She said sadly, obviously shocked from watching someone die in real-time.

Kate started to grab a different phone, "Where the hell are the police?" She quickly dialed a number and held the phone to her ear with a huff.

"We have a murder suspect, subway platform, fifty-ninth and Lex." The rest of the room was silent while Kate spoke on the phone.

"He's getting away." Penelope's sad tone rang through the speaker.

Rossi leaned into the receiver, "Garcia, can you get eyes on him aboveground?"

"He's heading west on fifty-ninth street." She told the team.

"If he makes it to the park, we've lost him." You realized out loud, watching Aaron's hand run through his hair again. The team felt trapped, there was nothing to do but sit there and let him get away.

"We lost the visual," Penelope told you, and you felt a wave of anger wash over you. You were tired of being behind these bastards.

"Are the police on the scene?" Rossi asked, waiting patiently for an answer.

"Negative." Her sad voice caused the room to go silent. Then she clicked the line shut, and the room filled with more silence.

Derek was the first to break it, anger evident in his voice, "We could've had that guy."

Kate rolled her eyes, and everyone saw it, "Even if we were on that platform, odds are he would have moved on to someone isolated." She sounded bored. Like she didn't even care that an innocent woman was killed.

" _Maybe_ , but it was worth taking a shot." He spat back at her.

She stood from her chair, "We had every available man on the street."

He stepped forward to meet her, "And I suggested to you that you use this team."

Aaron finally interjected himself, "Second-guessing doesn't do us any good right now." He had stepped in between Morgan and Joyner, forcing them to part.

"Hotch, how am I supposed to look these cops in the eye and tell them that we're actually here to help them?" Morgan's voice started to rise, but the calm quietness of Aaron's response was bone-chilling.

"We're here to present a profile. That's what _we_ need to do." Aaron said coolly.

"I said to put us at express stops; fourteenth, forty-second, fifty-ninth. And that's exactly where they hit." Derek brought down his volume.

It was Aaron's turn to yell, "It's not your place to have this discussion." He growled.

 _"My place?"_ Morgan's tone was incredulous. His eyebrows were high and his face carried offense.

"You need to back off," Aaron said sternly, his voice low.

Morgan rolled his shoulders back, trying to assert whatever dominance was left to assert, "We've got seven bodies, man."

"Which is _exactly_ why we need to stay focused." Aaron shot back.

"Focused? From where I'm standing, all your focus is on her." Morgan pointed to you with a long, accusing finger, "You want to talk about focused? From the noises I heard through the wall _all_ last night, you guys didn't sound too focused on the case."

Your jaw dropped and a dark flush ran over your neck and face, your hand immediately moving to cover the mark on your neck.

"Take a walk," Aaron said quietly and sternly, "Now."

Morgan walked out of the room, shortly followed by Rossi. It was obvious that he was going to talk to him, but you couldn't seem to focus on that.

You were still sporting a dark, embarrassed blush, and your hand hadn't moved from your neck.

Aaron moved to stand in front of you, turning to face the rest of the team, "Can we have the room for a moment?"

They all hummed and left the room.

"Y/n? Are you okay?" He asked, pulling down a few of the blinds to give you more privacy.

You nodded, "I'm fine. I just wasn't expecting him to bring that up, and it doesn't help that I've got a hickey on my neck the size of Texas. I should have covered it up." You sighed, knowing that even if you had covered it, Morgan still would have said it.

"It's my fault, I shouldn't have engaged him like that. I also should've put it just a few inches lower." He mumbled, pulling you into a comforting hug.

"Yeah, it's all your fault." You laughed into his chest, and he laughed at your statement.

After a few moments, "Alright, let's go find these bastards and go home."

You nodded and pulled away, letting your hands linger on his hips for a moment. "I love you, Aaron. I know you know that, but still. I love you so much."

"I love you too, y/n. I'll love you till the day I die." He placed a chaste kiss on your lips, but you could feel all his love pushed onto your mouth.

After he parted, he watched you grab your bag and pull out a small makeup bag. Something had possessed you to pack foundation and powder in your work bag, and whatever it was, you were grateful. Aaron let out a small laugh as he watched you liberally apply the makeup to your neck while looking into a small mirror.

"You're lucky that your marks don't show past your collar." You grumbled, thinking back to your nails raking down his back and chest.

"Mhmm." He responded, still stifling a laugh.

You rolled your eyes as you walked out of the room, trying to pull a wall of confidence over yourself. To be honest, you didn't actually care that much. More than anything, you wished you had seen Kate's face when Derek said what he said.

-

After a few hours, night had started to fall and Derek and Rossi finally returned to the station.

He looked to Kate first, "Listen, about before..." He trailed for a moment.

"You spoke your mind. I respect that." She put her hand up to stop him.

He turned to speak to you and Aaron, "Guys, I know that was out of line. I didn't mean it. I know that you guys are just as heated about this case as everyone else. I shouldn't have brought up your personal relationship" He said short, you and Aaron only nodding in response.

He knew what he said was wrong, there was no need to console him about it.

"JJ, Reid, and Prentiss went to the crime scene with the detectives." Aaron finally spoke.

"This is the first time they've killed two days in a row. They're speeding up." Rossi pointed out.

"Your analyst went over the latest footage." Kate told them, "This is a different shooter from the last two." She revealed with a sigh.

Rossi was genuinely shocked, "There's _three_ of them now?" He asked the rhetorical question.

"Who the hell are these guys?" Derek grumbled.

Kate looked from the files up to Derek, "I want you all out on the street tomorrow."

Apparently, she had come to her senses.

-

The next day, the team was split into pairs and sent throughout the city. You were with Emily on fifty-ninth and JJ and Morgan in Herald Square. Reid, Rossi, and Aaron had stayed back at the station to continue on the profile with Kate.

Luckily, your jealousy had started to subside. Although, you may have forced Dave and Spencer to keep you updated.

"So, we're undercover. Maybe we should act like a couple, make things more believable." You suggested with a wiggly eyebrow.

Emily giggled and grabbed your hand in hers, "Anything for you, darling." She swooned.

As the two of you walked around, you swung your hands back and forth, making Emily persistently smile.

When you and Emily stepped out onto the street, a gunshot caught your attention.

"Was that?" You looked at her.

"A gunshot." She confirmed, looking around to find the source. "Garcia?" Emily asked into her comms.

"I'm on it, I'm on it." Penelope's voice rang through your earpiece. You waited for her to answer, "Sixteenth and Broadway. He's running east on sixteenth." She told you and Emily.

"He's headed our way." Emily deduced.

The two of you took off. When the two of you rounded the corner, you made direct eye contact with the unsub. He turned to sprint the other way when he saw you and Emily reach for your guns.

You both reached around your back, pulling the concealed gun from your waistband, your blazers keeping them completely covered.

"Move! _MOVE!_ " Emily yelled, pushing people out of the way as the two of you darted after him.

"Get out of the way!" You shouted, taking the lead in front of Emily. The only reason you were able to, was due to Emily's heeled boots slowing her down.

The unsub turned into a dead ended ally, and you followed. When you turned the corner, he shot at you.

You ducked and he narrowly missed you. Your finger pulled the trigger, firing two shots to take him down. There was only adrenaline pumping through your body as you approached the limp body on the ground, kicking his gun away from him but keeping yours trained on him.

When the gun was cleared from him, you reached to feel his pulse. You finally let out an angry breath, when you felt nothing.

"Y/N?!" Emily finally caught up, watching you reach down and grab the discarded gun. "Are you okay, are you hurt?" She asked, her eyes searching you for injury.

"I'm fine, Em." You said.

After a few minutes, you had gotten your breath under control and the rest of the team showed up.

"Aaron." You said shortly, letting him pull you into a tight hug.

"Are you okay, love?" He asked quietly.

You nodded, letting out a shaky breath, "Shouldn't have had to kill him." You said, turning to the rest of the team.

"Y/n, he shot at a federal agent. You did what you had to do." Morgan said, glancing over to the body covered with a plastic sheet.

"No, not that. I mean, he was ahead of us. He would have gotten away, but he stopped and waited for me to round the corner." You looked at Emily, her eyes carrying sympathy.

"So he felt trapped, figured he'd shoot his way out," JJ said conclusively.

You glanced to Emily, trying to find the answer, "I don't know."

"Tell me about his behavior." Derek practically demanded. "Was he acting panicked? Was he winded?"

You shook your head, "His hands were steady. His eyes were dead calm." You mumbled.

"I mean, these guys have been hyper-vigilant, organized." Emily took over, seeing your overwhelmed state, "They do pre-surveillance. What are the odds they would shoot somebody two blocks from where I and y/n are standing."

"You think he deliberately shot someone where he could be caught?" JJ asked, looking between you and Emily for an answer.

"What if he did?" You and Emily asked in unison.

"What if they chose this spot because we were here?" You continued the question.

Derek was the next to speak, "What are you thinking?"

"He had no I.D. and he waited till we caught up to him. He was strangely calm." You said trying to put the puzzle pieces together.

"It's almost like suicide by cop," Emily said shortly.

"We have multiple unsubs, they know the movements of the FBI. They're using counter-surveillance. There's a _hierarchy._ What does that normally mean?" Rossi asked, already knowing the answer.

"Terrorism." Aaron's voice was distressed and short.

-

When the team returned back to the station, night had completely fallen again.

"So how does this work?" Derek asked from his seat on a desk.

"The murders simulate a bombing." You started to tell the team, "From there, they station someone to watch and gauge police response time."

Derek nodded, "At which point they know when to bring in a second bomb." He said conclusively.

"The goal is always to take out the first round of civilians, followed by a second wave of emergency responders," Kate spoke after him.

"It's crazy, but it's ingenious." Spencer started, "They get a practice run and if someone catches the shooter, they think they just have a murderer- the cell isn't compromised."

Kate nodded at his words, "It's Lo-Fi. Smartest way to plan for a terrorist event."

After going through procedure, Aaron split the team-up.

"Y/n, Emily and Morgan, I want you to go brief homeland security, Dave talk to the commissioner, JJ and Reid talk to the Port Authority Police." He spoke as the team grabbed jackets and bags, "Kate and I will go talk to the mayor."

"Meet back here as soon as possible." He dismissed the team, "Y/n, one second please."

He walked you to a slightly private part of the empty station, "If you need to take some time, you should. I don't want you to overwork yourself."

"Aaron, I was shot at, not shot." You huffed, "I'll be more than fine to go brief Homeland Security."

"Okay, I just wanted to check." He said, placing a gentle kiss on your lips before walking away.

-

_NYPD Radio, 7:48 pm: We have reports of an explosion near Federal Plaza, all available units respond._

_NYPD Radio, 7:51 pm: We need Bomb Squad and SWAT units to report to the Federal Building._

_NYPD Radio, 7:55 pm: The explosion was located on the West Corner of the Federal Building. A Federal SUV was at the source. Unknow how many casualties. All available units respond._

_NYPD Radio, 8:03 pm: We have orders to maintain a border around the blast zone. No one goes in until the blast site is cleared._

_NYPD Radio, 8:11 pm: We have reports of two Federal Agents down, trapped in the blast zone. All available units respond._


	46. Chapter 46

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger Warning: Suicide

You, Emily, and Derek were talking quietly as you all headed out of the Federal Building. The three of you were the first to leave, all headed to Homeland Security.

The drive was quiet, each of your separate anxieties filling your minds. The only noise was the quiet chatter coming from the police radio.

As you were nearing the Homeland office, you finally broke the silence, "What are the protocols for Homeland? What do we need to tell them first and foremost?"

"First off, they need to know about the threat. We need to take them quickly through the profile, give them our extensive background that led to the conclusion, and then they'll send a notice to POTUS." Emily answered from the passenger seat.

You were about to ask another question, but the police radio cut you off.

_NYPD Radio, 7:48: "We have reports of an explosion near Federal Plaza, all available units respond."_

"Did they just say explosion?" Derek questioned, turning the dial-up on the radio.

The car went silent as the three of you waited for the next update. You never know that three minutes could feel so long.

_NYPD Radio, 7:51 pm: We need Bomb Squad and SWAT units to report to the Federal Building._

"Oh god." Emily sighed and you felt your anxiety bubble up to the back of your throat.

"Aaron was at the Federal Building." You quietly said from the back of the car.

At your words, Derek slammed on the breaks and turned hard. The turn sent you and Emily into the side of the car with yelps, "What the hell, Derek?"

He turned to face Emily for a moment, "There was just a bomb set off in the Federal Plaza, we need to get back."

"Right." She nodded, watching him turn the lights and sirens on.

_NYPD Radio, 7:55 pm: The explosion was located on the West Corner of the Federal Building. A Federal SUV was at the source. Unknow how many casualties. All available units respond._

You felt your stomach sink, "Oh god, Aaron."

"Y/n there are tons of Federal SUVs at the Federal Building, not only FBI agents are driving them tonight." Emily tried to reassure you.

You nodded with a shaky breath, "We need to call someone."

Right on cue, Derek's phone started to ring.

"Garcia." Derek answered, listening for a moment, "Yeah. I'm still here. I've got y/n and Emily with me now."

"I'm almost back at the Federal Building. What the hell's going on?" He asked, handing the phone to Emily and she put it on speakerphone.

 _"All right, we're going over the closed-circuit footage right now."_ Penelope's oddly calm voice rang through the car.

"Who else have you checked on?" Emily leaned into the phone to speak.

Penelope was cut off by the police radio.

_NYPD Radio, 8:03 pm: We have orders to maintain a border around the blast zone. No one goes in until the blast site is cleared._

She answered after the radio stopped., _"You're the first. Rossi and Reid called me."_

"All right, well, keep us on the line while you check on everyone else." You said from the back of the car.

 _"I just tried JJ, she's not responding."_ She had tried JJ on a separate line.

"Try again," Emily told her shortly.

You could hear a dial tone and you waited for JJ to pick up.

_"This is Agent Jareau, Communications Director for the FBI's Behavioral Ana-"_

"What was that? What happened?" Emily asked, moving the phone closer to her.

 _"It went dead mid-message,"_ Garcia said in a worried tone.

 _"I'll try her again, she prob-"_ The line went dead, a dial tone beeping through the car.

Derek slammed his hands on the wheel, " _Damnit!"_

You went to console him, but another message went out over the radio.

_NYPD Radio, 8:11 pm: We have reports of two Federal Agents down, trapped in the blast zone. All available units respond._

"F-Federal Agents?" You felt a lump form in your throat and the pit in your stomach dig deeper.

Emily turned around and set a hand on your tense shoulder, "It's not him, I'm sure he was still in the building when the message went out. He and Kate weren't meant to leave for a few more minutes."

You nodded shakily, sucking in a deep breath.

The rest of the drive was quiet, the only noise coming from the engine and the loud sirens. Derek wasn't very gentle on the horn either, he may as well have sat on the goddamn thing.

Yet, with all the noise that Derek was making, it felt like you were in a bubble. It sounded like your ears were plugged, the noise sounding far away and distant. Your eyes went fuzzy and you could only make out the blurry shape of Emily and Derek in the front seat.

Your thoughts were trying to convince you that Aaron was fine, and he was handling the catastrophe inside the Federal Building. That he was completely safe the whole time, only hearing the explosion from the high floor of the field office.

When the car lurched to a stop, you quickly got out, forcing yourself to focus on the scene in front of you.

"Who's in charge here?" Derek asked, flashing his credentials at a random Bomb Squad member.

"Captain Warner." He answered, pointing to a tall man over by the police barricade.

The sight in front of you was awful. There was an SUV light up orange and yellow, tall flames shooting out of the broken windows.

"Captain Warner, I'm Agent Morgan, FBI," Derek said, you and Emily pulling out your creds as well. You finally pulled your eyes away from the SUV.

"I'm looking for Agent Hotchner," His name sent a shiver down your spine.

"Aaron Hotchner," Morgan said, trying to get an answer from the mean-looking man.

Warner rolled his eyes with a sigh, "Go back to the Federal Plaza. There are evac marshaling spots. Check-in and make sure they know where you are." He said with a bored tone.

"I am not about to do that." You injected yourself into the conversation.

"Get out of my face, or I'll have you bodily removed, Agent," Warner said, tilting his head to look down at you.

A familiar voice yelling pulled your focus.

_"Please, we're here!!"_

"Aaron." You breathed, the lump forming in your throat again. You followed your feet as they dragged you back to the police barrier.

"Hey, the area's restricted." A SWAT member told you.

You turned back around to look at Captain Warner, "That's my _husband_ down there." A little white lie, but it didn't really matter. You just felt that it carried more authority than fiance.

"My orders are what they are." Warner rolled his eyes. Asshole.

"I don't give a damn what your orders are." You growled, walking toward Warner and your hand instinctively going to your gun.

He puffed his chest out, "I get it, agent. But we've been told by _you_ that responders are the targets."

"So until the blast site is cleared, no one goes in." He spat at you.

Aaron's frightened yells caught your attention again.

 _"Someone! Damn it, we're here!"_ Aaron pleaded, begged.

You looked to Morgan, hoping that he could get you further. While he talked to Warner, you walked back to the sawhorses, looking down at Aaron.

He was knelt down by a limp body on the ground, and through what you knew, you assumed that it was Kate. You felt bile threatening to spill out of you. You had spent the past three days wishing the worst on her, and now there she is. Practically a splat on the pavement.

 _"We're here! Please!"_ Aaron screamed, you could hear tears in his voice. He was so scared, so frightened, so terrified.

You heard Captain Warner say, "Go." And you did.

You and Derek shot off toward Aaron, Emily going back to the SUV to get back to the field office.

It only took the two of you a few seconds to get to Aaron, somehow you beat Morgan. Probably the adrenaline pumping through your veins.

"Hotch!" Morgan yelled as he was running.

"Aaron!" You yelling in unison with Morgan.

As you met up to Aaron, you saw a third person crouching over Kate. A young boy, probably in his twenties.

"Aaron." You said through a heavy breath, kneeling down next to him.

"Y/n, we've got to get her out of here." He looked you dead in the eyes, fear evident in his eyes.

You sighed, "They're not letting any ambulances down here till they clear the scene." The ground around Kate was covered in blood, and Aaron's hands were under her back.

"Kid, you gotta get behind the barricades. Let's go." Morgan pointed to the police line.

"Go!" You yelled, not looking up from Kate.

"Go, Sam," Aaron said quietly.

The kid, Sam, finally got up. If you were paying more attention, you would have noticed that he didn't walk toward the police line.

"Talk to me, can we carry her?" You looked between Morgan and Aaron.

"Aaron, can we carry her?" You asked a little louder.

He let out a rough breath, "No, I tried. Y/n, she's gonna bleed to death if we don't get her out of here. We've got to do something."

Morgan's phone ringing caught your focus for a moment, but you couldn't bother to pay attention.

"Garcia, I got Aaron. But listen to me. You've got to get somebody down here right away, you hear me? Right now." Morgan ranted into the phone.

You watched as Morgan listened to Penelope on the other line.

"What?" He asked, looking toward the burning SUV.

"You're absolutely sure?" He confirmed, which caught your full attention.

"Aaron. The kid. He's the bomber." Morgan said to the two of you.

"Go," Aaron told him, and with that, Morgan was sprinting toward Sam.

A few seconds after Morgan turned the corner, an ambulance pulled up to you and Aaron. The two of you let out a breath as the paramedic jumped out of the rig and grabbed a board and a first aid kit.

"She's got an arterial bleed in her back and I'm going my best to hold it closed," Aaron told him, watching as the man pulled on gloves and squatted down next to Kate.

"You okay?" The man asked while rolling Kate slightly.

He nodded slightly, "I just want to get her out of here."

The man pressed two fingers to her neck, feeling for a pulse, "Her pulse is weak and thready. I'm gonna need your help, okay?" He looked between you and Aaron.

"Okay." You and Aaron answered in unison.

"Is the area clear?" You asked him as he started to open his bag.

The paramedic shook his head, "You were calling for help and I couldn't listen anymore. My partner was too afraid to come in here with me."

"Kate, we're going to get you out of here." Aaron said softly to the whimpering woman on the ground, "We're on our way out of here."

He grabbed a clamp from his bag and looked at you, "Grab her shoulders, it's going to hurt her, but we need to roll her so that I can access the artery." He told you, and you moved to grip her shoulders.

"I'm sorry, Kate. This is going to hurt." You said to her, brushing her hair out of her face and speaking softly. No matter how much she made you mad, you would never be inhumane to someone.

She only whimpered in responses, her face screwing up with pain.

"On three; one, two, three." The paramedic said, and you pulled her right shoulder off the ground. She groaned and her right hand came up to grip your wrist.

"Okay, I'm gonna clamp that artery. When I say move, move your hand and get as far out of my way as you can. Got it?" He told Aaron, moving the clamp toward the wound in Kate's back.

"Yep," Aaron said short, watching the paramedic get ready to clamp the artery.

"Okay, move." He said, and Aaron pulled his hand back past his waist.

The clamp clicked shut and Aaron let out a small breath, "Okay. I need to get a bag in and start getting her pressure up."

Aaron stood with his next instruction, "Get the gurney from the bus." Aaron quickly walked over to the ambulance and pulled out the gurney from the vehicle.

"Keep holding her in place while I do this." The paramedic told you and you nodded, tears forming in your eyes as Kate whimpered and her hand went loose around your wrist.

He placed an Ambu bag over her mouth. You could feel Kate's pulse started to rise as he pumped air into her lungs.

Aaron returned with the gurney and helped you and the paramedic get her on the bed and into the ambulance. You were going to ride up front with Aaron, but Kate had an iron grip on your wrist.

"Where's the closest emergency room?" Aaron asked as he climbed into the front seat of the vehicle.

"St. Barclay's." The paramedic said as he continued to work on Kate.

"Where?" Aaron asked, probably having some hearing damage from the explosion.

"St. Barclay's." You repeated, moving closer to Aaron.

"And where is it?" Aaron questioned the paramedic.

The paramedic looked up from Kate, "It's four blocks uptown, one block east." He said quickly, and Aaron started driving. He slammed the gas down and turned the sirens and lights on.

As he was driving, Kate finally came back to consciousness.

"Hey, Kate. We've got you, we're headed to the hospital now. You're going to be fine." You told her, leaning down so that you didn't have to yell at her.

"Is she awake?" Aaron asked from the driver's seat.

She tried to turn her head, "Is that Aaron?"

"Yeah, Kate, it is." You brushed her hair out of her face again.

"Kate, we made it," Aaron told her shortly, pressing the gas harder.

"Thank you," She looked to you, "I know you're not overly fond of me, and I-"

You cut her off, "Kate, that's in the past. You can tell me when you're not laying on a gurney in an ambulance."

She nodded, letting her eyes close and her head fall back to the gurney.

"We're almost there, Kate. You've just got to hold on a little while longer, try and keep your eyes on me." She hummed and her eyes fluttered back open.

The rest of the ride was quick, the paramedic cleaning some of Kate's superficial wounds as Aaron drove.

When Aaron got to the emergency entrance, he was stopped by a man in a suit.

"What's this?" Aaron rolled down the window to talk to the man.

"Secret Service." The man answered, which caught your attention, "We're directing all emergencies over to Lenox Hill."

"I'm SSA Hotchner. I have SSA Joyner on board." Aaron told the man, "She was injured in the bomb blast at Federal Plaza."

The man held a hand up to stop Aaron, "Credentials."

"They're in my jacket at Federal Plaza," Aaron said in distress.

You pulled your badge from your jacket and leaned up to the front of the ambulance, "Here, SSA y/l/n with the FBI."

"Ma'am, this hospital is on a strict bypass. I can't allow you in, even with Supervisory status." The man said, still trying to deter you.

Right then, the heart monitor flatlined, "I'm losing her, she's crashing! She's crashing!" The paramedic yelled from the back, and you looked at the Secret Service agent with pleading eyes.

"Please." You and Aaron said in unison.

He looked around for a moment, before yelling to the man operating the gate, "Open it up."

Aaron drove into the emergency bay, turning the vehicle as he did so that the back would be closer to the entrance. As you were talking to the Secret Service agent, Kate's grip never ceased on your wrist, even as she flatlined.

When you turned back around, the paramedic was doing chest compressions on Kate as they pulled the gurney out of the vehicle.

"What do you have?" An ER-resident asked as they started to wheel the gurney into the hospital. Aaron was pushing the bed as you continued your grasp on Kate's bloody hand.

"BP fifty over thirty. She's bradycardic with severe spinal injury." The paramedic rattled off, continuing the CPR on Kate's limp body.

"Agents, we need you to let go." Another doctor told you and Aaron, and it hurt your soul to leave Kate like that. You had to pry your hand out of her grasp, her bloody handprint staining your arm.

As they wheeled her down a hallway, they continued to yell things, "Get her in the bay. Get the crash cart." Was the last you heard before they rounded the corner.

For a moment you stared down the hallway, watching the last of the gurney disappear. What caught your focus next was Aaron's tall form stumbling toward the nurse's station.

"Aaron?" You walked over to him, grabbing his arm.

His feet tripped over each other and he crashed down on top of a medical cart, sending instruments flying and clattering to the ground.

 _"Aaron!!"_ You yelled, quickly crouching down next to him as nurses ran over to him.

He was holding himself up on his elbow but quickly flopped to the ground, letting his headrest on the floor as people worked around him.

They got him onto a gurney and into an ER bed, sticking electrodes and wires to his chest and placing an IV into his arm.

While they were working on Aaron, you called the field office, asking to speak to anyone from the BAU that was there. To your satisfaction, JJ picked up. You told her the status of Aaron and Kate, before walking back over to Aaron's unconscious form on the bed.

-

As you were sitting at Aaron's side, you heard the familiar booming voice of Derek Morgan at the nurses' station.

"Doc. FBI. How's Aaron Hotchner." You heard him say, deciding to stay by Aaron's side and let them direct Morgan to you. Aaron's limp hand was clasped in your now clean one, although you were sure that they were stained pink.

"He's got acute acoustic trauma in his right ear, and I pulled shrapnel from his leg." Right then, Aaron woke up with a jolt.

He immediately started pulling the electrodes off his chest and tugging at the needle in his arm.

"Aaron, _Aaron,_ I need you to lay back down." You tried to get him to at least sit, but he was already on his feet.

"I just need my clothes." He said in his daze, not registering that it was you in front of him.

The doctor quickly ran over to the bed, "Agent Hotchner, lie down."

"Doctor, I'm alright!" He detested, even though he was practically yelling from the hearing damage.

"Hotch, stop it," Morgan told him, trying to get him to relax.

"Aaron, just sit back down. You're hurt." You grabbed his hand so that he would focus on you.

"Hotch, just calm down. Doc, I got it, okay?" Morgan tried to fend off the doctor.

Aaron took a breath, looking at you and Morgan, "Y/n, where's Kate?"

"She's in surgery." You told him shortly.

He accepted that as an answer, but went back to yelling, "Where are my clothes, please?"

"Aaron, your go-bag is on its way. Just sit down, please." You pushed his shoulders down so he would sit down on the bed.

He looked to Derek, "Has anything happened since the first blast?"

"Nothing." Derek shook his head as he spoke, looking at you as well.

"Sam?" You asked about the kid Morgan chased.

Derek sighed, "He's dead."

"Morgan, the profile's wrong. We're meant to think that everything that's happened is something it's not." Aaron started to go on a tangent, "Seemingly random acts of murder, attempts to hack into the cameras, suicide by cop, the death card telling us they know we're watching." Aaron rattled off.

"All diversions." You deduced.

-

A half-hour later, the rest of the team was at the hospital and Aaron was dressed in a spare suit from his go-bag. He was walking with a severe limp, and he was still speaking rather loudly. The hearing damage was evident, even though he didn't want to admit it.

"Hotch, are you okay?" Emily asked, an FBI windbreaker over her bulletproof vest.

"Yeah." He nodded, slipping on his blazer, "I just want to understand why I'm still alive." His words sent a shock to your chest, trying not to think about the fact that he should be dead.

"We think the idea was to maim, not to kill," Spencer said, his hands hooked into the collar of his vest.

He looked to Dave, "Did you identify Sam, the bomber?" He asked.

"We put him and the shooter through all known databases. ViCAP and Interpol came up with nothing." Spencer told him with a defeated sigh.

Rossi interjected, "We know how terror cells evolve. They learn from one campaign to the next."

"How to stay off the radar, like the London Bombers." You suggested, earning a nod from Dave.

Aaron nodded too, "Yeah, but they hit at eight fifty in the morning with a series of coordinated blasts aimed at London's transportation system, and _this_ cell targeted a lone SUV where the only people on the street are two Federal Agents."

"It's not multiple targets?" You asked more than said, but Morgan solidified it.

"It's one target. One target, one bomb."

"If Sam didn't have a secondary device to detonate, there's only one reason that he stayed with us." Aaron's tone was grim.

It dawned on Rossi, "To make sure the ambulance got to you."

"And in a city on lockdown, an ambulance with its siren blaring and lights on, it's going to make it through every roadblock virtually uncontested." Your tone matched Aaron's, realizing what was happening.

Aaron cursed under his breath, " _Damnit_ , and it could get straight into a hospital with a bypass order on it."

"The ambulance which we drove in here." The magnitude of the situation hit you.

Aaron nodded, "This hospital is their target."

The team immediately headed down to the emergency entrance, tracking down the paramedic and the ambulance. Morgan called Garcia and had her block the signal, but she couldn't hold it for long.

Derek took off ahead of the team, sprinting down the stairs while you and the team quickly cleared the levels of the hospital.

When you got down to the garage, the ambulance was gone and the paramedic was sitting against a chain fence. He had gotten the call through and off in the distance you could hear an explosion.

"FBI," Aaron said sternly, the entire team training your guns at the man.

He didn't respond, he didn't even lookup. There was a knife sitting next to him, and he grabbed it and placed it up to his neck. "Put it down. It's over." You advanced slightly.

He looked up at Aaron, dead in the eyes, and pulled the knife across his neck.

As he was bleeding out in front of you, Emily pulled out her phone and called someone. You couldn't hear anything and your vision was blurry.

"Morgan's fine, the ambulance exploded in the middle of the park. No casualties." Her words echoed through your swimming mind.

You sighed and turned to Aaron. He didn't have to ask, he just pulled you into his arms. The two of you finally let out the breaths you were holding, clutching onto the other for life.

"If you ever get in that situation again, I'll kill you." You mumbled through tears.

Aaron found a way to laugh, "I know, I'm sorry that you went through that."

You pulled back, " _I_ went through that? Aaron, you were blown up and almost blown up again. I think it's safe to say that I didn't go through much. I'm just so glad that you're okay."

"I know, I'm glad that you're okay too." He pulled you back against his chest, letting out a sigh.

You felt safe for that small moment, letting yourself melt into his embrace.

"I love you, Aaron Hotchner." You tightened your arms around him more.

"I love you too, y/f/n y/l/n. Let's go home." He pulled back, moving his hand to grab yours.

The team headed back to the hotel, taking off in the morning. There were still case reports to file, and you didn't want to leave till you knew about Kate. She was still in surgery, and it took a lot of convincing to get Aaron to stay at the hotel.

You had bribed a nurse to call you as soon as Kate was out so that Aaron could go see her. She told you that her state was still critical, but you didn't relay that information to Aaron. He had had enough trauma for one day.


	47. Chapter 47

It had been a few hours since the team had gotten back to the hotel when your phone rang, which you quickly answered. Aaron was soundly sleeping on your shared bed, and he needed as much sleep as he could get.

"Agent y/l/n." You quietly spoke into the phone as you stepped into the hallway.

"Agent, I am calling with an update on SSA Kate Joyner." The person, who you identified as a nurse, told you.

You held your breath for a moment before speaking, "Yes, thank you for making the exception, you truly have no idea how much it means." You started to pace in the narrow hallway, "How is Agent Joyner?"

"Ma'am, I'm so sorry to inform you that at one forty-seven this morning, Kate Joyner died. Her wounds were extensive, and in the end, massive blood loss was the cause of death." Her solemn voice told you, and you felt a lump form in your throat.

"I, uh. Thank you for notifying me, I will let my team know." Your words caught in your throat, but you managed to push them out.

Not four hours earlier, you were holding Kate's hand in the back of an ambulance, next to a terrorist no mind, and now she was in the morgue.

"Of course, Agent. We have already contacted her family, and they should be arriving within the day. Again, so sorry for your loss." She didn't wait for a response, just hung the phone up.

Deciding to give Aaron more rest before telling him, you walked down to the lobby to find the rest of the team nursing various drinks at the otherwise empty bar.

Emily was the first to spot you and your tear-stained face. She quickly made her way over to you, "Y/n? What's wrong? I mean I know what's wrong, but why are you crying?" It was clear that the little amount of alcohol in her system had already done away with her filter.

"Kate didn't make it." You told her, and the rest of the team, quietly.

They sat in silence for a moment, and you spotted tears on Derek's face out of the corner of your eye. You quietly ordered a glass of whiskey, letting the liquid burn down inside of your throat. You could hear JJ's attempt to hide her crying and Emily's hand rubbing up and down her back. Rossi was the first to speak, picking up his glass.

"To Kate. May she rest in peace." His tone was airy and dry, and if you looked you were sure there were small tears in his eyes.

The rest of the team raised their glasses and spoke in unison, "To Kate." And all of you drank together, letting the various liquids slide down to your stomach. Even Spencer was drinking, which was very odd for him.

After a few more minutes, you stood from the bar, "I've got to go tell Aaron now." You would have rather done anything else, but he needed to know.

The team only nodded in response, taking another sip of their drinks as they did.

Once you made it back to your room, you realized that you didn't have a key, so you had to knock. Aaron was probably still sleeping, so you rapped your knuckles rather hard on the wooden door. After a few seconds, you heard Aaron approach the door and pull it open far enough to see who it was.

"Oh, y/n. Why'd you knock?" Aaron asked, pulling the door open for you to step in.

"Went to go talk to the team real quick, and forgot the key. Sorry for waking you." You apologized, sitting down on the bed.

He sighed and sat next to you, "It's fine, I probably needed to get up anyway. Why'd you need to talk to the team?"

You hesitated, knowing that the information of Kate's death would send him into either rage or sadness, probably both, and you didn't want to experience either. "I got a call from the hospital, about Kate." You started to tell him.

"Is she out of surgery? When can we see her?" He started to get up from the bed again, but your hand on his thigh stopped him.

"Aaron..." You trailed. You knew that you had to actually say it so that he knew it was real. Even so, you still wanted nothing to do with the subject.

"No. No, that's not right." He started to ramble as he put the pieces together.

You grabbed his hands in yours, "At one forty-seven this morning, Kate passed away." Your hands squeezed his, making sure that _he_ knew he was awake and it wasn't some fever dream.

"No, that can't be. She's in surgery. She's going to be fine." He pulled his hands from yours and ran his fingers through his hair, standing off the bed.

"I'm so sorry Aaron, they called me a little bit ago. I told the team first so that you could get a little more rest." You tried to bring him into your arms, but your words seemed to enrage him.

He sucked in a hard breath before unleashing his anger, "You told the _team_ first? Why the fuck would you do that?" His curse felt like a slap to the face, but you knew it was the denial talking.

"How, in your right mind, could you think that they needed to know first?" He continued to spit at you, his hands clenching into fists by his side, "I should have been the first to know!" He roared, and you could have stopped him, but you knew that it would probably help him to get out some of the emotions now.

"You fucking thought that _Morgan_ should know before me? He hates her! Why didn't you just tell me! I deserved to know, I'm the only one who knows her!" He continued, but you sensed that he was close to done, his eyes starting to droop with sadness and sleep deprivation.

"I- I should have known first!" Aaron started to stutter over his words, and you could hear the tears in his voice, "I was- I was supposed to know first." He was starting to break down.

You grabbed his hands again and he finally let the tears spill from his eyes. He sunk to his knees in front of you, his hands moving to grip your waist as he let sobs rack through his body. Aaron's stubble scratched the top of your bare thighs as he buried his face in your lap, his hot tears smearing on your skin.

"I- I- I was supposed to keep her safe." He choked out through a sob, his fingers digging into your hips, "I was s-supposed to keep-p her safe, and I f-failed." Another sob racked through his body.

You gently carded your fingers through his hair, brushing it out of his eyes, "You did everything right, sweetie. This wasn't your fault." You spoke softly as if you were consoling a child.

He only shook his head in response, so you kept talking, "You didn't cause this honey, and you didn't fail."

"Y-yes I did." His words caught in his throat.

"No, Aaron, you didn't. Kate survived as long as she did, _because_ of you." You continued to brush your fingers through his hair, "Because of you, she didn't die in the middle of the street, in pain. You got her to the hospital, and she passed painlessly."

You didn't know enough about surgery, to know if what you said was right, but you figured that he wouldn't fight your words in the state he's in.

His sobs finally started to subside, but the tears still poured from his eyes. You just continued to soothe him, letting him do what he needs to do to cope.

After a few minutes, Aaron's tears stopped and his eyes were trying to fight sleep while he was still kneeling in between your legs.

"Aaron, sweetie?" He hummed in response, "How about we get you in bed? You need to get some sleep?" He lazily nodded, his eyes still fighting sleep.

You gently hooked your hands under his shoulders, helping him slide into the bed. He curled into a ball in the middle of the bed, while you quickly changed and grabbed him a glass of water.

"Sweetie, you need to drink." You told him, sitting next to him and brushing his hair out of his eyes.

He sat up and took the glass from you, quickly gulping down the cool water, "Thank you, y/n. You didn't deserve anything I said to you, and I don't deserve your sympathy." He mumbled as you walked around to the other side of the bed, his eyes glued to you.

"Aaron, you deserve the world." You murmured as you kissed the top of his head, "You went through a lot in the past six hours, let yourself sleep." You told more than suggested, his eyes still fighting against his desire to sleep.

You pressed a gentle kiss into his lips, and his eyes fluttered shut. He hummed contently as he let sleep overtake him.

"I love you." That was the last thing he said.

"I love you too, Aaron." You pressed a kiss into his temple and he snuggled into your neck, wrapping his legs and arms around you.

-

The next morning, Aaron barely woke up to your alarm, so you let him sleep longer. You walked down to the lobby to meet the team, remembering to grab a key beforehand. It was a short interaction, you didn't want Aaron to wake up alone. You let them know that they could leave whenever they wanted to, you would be driving Aaron back to Virginia separately. He couldn't fly due to his ear damage, and you quickly volunteered to drive him.

After you told them they were good to go, you quickly made your way back up to your room. Aaron was still sound asleep, he hadn't even moved from when you left him. It was only a little past nine, so you two had around three hours to get checked out and start your journey home.

You slipped back into the bed, and Aaron immediately wrapped himself around you. He hummed in his sleep as you let your hands wander his body, running up and down his back and your nails scratching his scalp lightly. Around nine-thirty, Aaron started to stir, pulling you closer to him and his face snuggling into your chest.

"Good morning, sleepyhead." You chuckled slightly, "Did you sleep well?"

He only grunted in response, his hands starting to wander your body as well. Aaron's rough hands started at your waist, leaving a trail of goosebumps as they grazed across your back. Your hands moved from his shoulders down to his chest, letting your fingernails dig in and leaving red lines behind.

Aaron's hips bucked and a small gasp left his mouth as you brushed the pad of your thumb over his sensitive nipple, "So responsive, so good for me." You praised him, pressing a kiss to his cheek.

When his hips started to rock against yours, you moved your hands to stop them, "We need to get up, and get going, Aaron. _And_ you're still hurt." You told him, and he pouted his lip out at your words. Apparently, he was feeling rather 'sub-y' today.

You walked back over to him as he sat on the edge of the bed, letting your hands cup his face, "I want you to go get in the shower, I'll join you in a second." You kissed him on the nose before walking away from him.

A few seconds passed before he complied, walking into the bathroom and starting the shower.

You grabbed his bag, pulling out comfortable clothes for him to wear in the car, as well as a set from your own bag as well. After you did that, you grabbed his dirty clothes in the bathroom and put them into his bag. You packed up the majority of the room, before joining him in the shower.

He was sleepily standing under the spray of the water, his left side leaning against the wall of the shower. You laughed under your breath as you stepped into the shower, standing in front of Aaron and the hot water. His hands-on your hips prompted you to turn around, letting the water dampen your hair as you pressed your body against his.

"Do you want to talk about it, Aaron?" You asked, figuring that he wouldn't. He was already in the shower, completely exposed, and he didn't want to further that exposure.

He only shook his head no, his rough stubble scratching against your shoulder.

"Okay, but if you do, just tell me." You knew how scared he was when he was stuck in front of that police line with Kate, desperately trying to prolong her life.

He nodded, pulling your body closer to his, "I was so scared." He said quietly. Like if he said it any louder, someone would hear.

"I know baby, I know." You stroked his damp hair, trying to coax more words out of him.

"I couldn't stop thinking about the possibility of another explosion, or that Kate would bleed out right there." He continued, his tears mixing in with the spray of water, "I've been in a lot of dangerous situations, but nothing like this."

"The only time I felt more scared than this, was when we found you." He told you quietly.

It was your turn to hold back your words, not wanting to think about Briza. You never really realized how long it had been since that, it felt like it was just yesterday. There were even times that you were scared to open your eyes in the morning, worried that you would be back there.

"I know, baby, I remember what it was like when we found you. I was terrified." You said, thinking back to Aaron's experience with Briza.

"That was when we had our first big fight." His tone was nostalgic, thinking back to the beginning of your relationship.

You laughed slightly, "You don't think that our first fight was when I slapped you in your office?"

"Well, now that you mention it, I'd say that's our first fight." He chuckled, pressing a kiss into your shoulder.

"That was a great fight." You said with a fake sigh.

He laughed again, "Yeah, my favorite fight. Getting slapped by not one but _two_ of my agents."

You pulled back, placing a fake offended hand over your chest, "I apologized, multiple times." You told him.

"Emily never did." He muttered, watching you wash your hair.

-

Once you and Aaron checked out of the hotel, you had to fight his requests to drive.

"Aaron, you just got blown up, close to twelve hours ago. You are _not_ driving." You told him, forcing him to sit in the passenger seat with a huff.

When you sat down in the driver seat, Aaron spoke, "I didn't get blown up, I almost got blown up." He mumbled under his breath. You let a small laugh pass your lips while you turned the car on, and started to drive home.

The majority of the drive was fine, traffic was fairly light once you got out of the city. Aaron tried to fight sleep as long as he could, but his body was still exhausted from the day prior. By the time you got onto I-95, he was passed out in the seat next to you. Your right hand was tucked into his chest, both of his hands clutching onto it. You let your thumb sweep over the back of his hand as he slept, feeling his gentle breath against your hands.

You were appalled that a man his size, could curl up into a ball so small. He had his knees tucked to his chest, his entire body resting in the seat.

Two hours after you left New York, Aaron woke up again. He roughly rubbed the sleep from his eyes, stretching as much as the car would allow his tall body to.

"Good morning, or should I say afternoon?" You looked at the clock, _2:54 pm._

He rolled his eyes, "Morning, how long do we have till we get back?" His morning voice rumbled through the car.

"Two more hours." You told him, letting your hand draw patterns on his thigh. Soon after you spoke, a yawn snuck out.

"I could drive the rest of the way, you know." He leaned toward you, pressing a kiss into your shoulder.

You rolled your eyes, "You _can_ drive, but you're not going to."

He huffed but accepted it. You felt his hand-pick yours up from his thigh, lacing his fingers into yours. "When do you want to get married?" He asked, pressing a kiss to the back of your hand.

"Soon." Was all you said in response, "If the events of yesterday told me anything, it told me that time is precious. I want to spend the rest of my life, no matter how long it is, with you."

He nodded, "How fast do you think that Rossi and Garcia could get a wedding up and running?"

"I'm pretty sure Rossi's best time is a week, but I don't think that I'll be able to find a dress within a week." You said with a laugh, "How about in a month? I think that Garcia could get invitations out within the week, and I'm not that picky about dresses. I doubt that I'll have trouble finding one, especially with Em's help."

"I can go to the jeweler tomorrow, I already have ideas about engravings." He looked over at you to see a wide grin on your face, "It'll only take a week or two to get a suit tailored for me."

"Also, I really want to ask Jack to be my best man." He said sheepishly, looking down at his hands.

You moved his hand to your mouth, pressing a kiss into the back of it, "I want Emily to be my maid of honor." You told him, "If that's alright? I know that there's a bit of a history with her. I figured that after the whole threesome thing, it wouldn't be as awkward." You trailed off.

"It's fine, love." He responded, "I want to find a way to have Rossi in the wedding."

You blushed deeply, not wanting to tell him what you wanted Dave to do.

"Y/n?" He spotted the dark flush and your nervous demeanor.

"I- I thought about asking him to walk me down the aisle. If that's okay with you?" You were so anxious to ask him, but you so whole-heartedly wanted Dave to do it. You never really had a good relationship with your parents and weren't even planning on inviting them.

He smiled, "Of course, I'd love that. He's like a father to you."

You smiled back at him, your chest filling with butterflies, "I can't believe that we're going to get married!"

"I can't wait to be married to you, _forever._ " He deepened his tone on the last word.

You dropped your face, turning to look at him, "Well you should be because I'm pregnant."

His eyes lit up, and a shocked expression spread across his face, "You- you are?" You couldn't tell if he was excited, scared, or upset.

You kept eye contact as long as you could, before breaking into a fit of laughter, " _NO._ " You managed to get out through a laugh.

He quickly joined your laughter, clapping a hand over his chest, "Well, if you were, I'd be more than excited." His tone went serious.

"Really? You want to have kids?" You asked, shocked that he would want another kid after Jack.

"Of course. Jack is the light of my life, you coming directly in second, but I absolutely want to have another kid." He said with a smile, "Or twenty."

You fake laughed, "Yeah, good luck with that. You can have one, take it or leave it."

"I'll take whatever you'll give me." He pressed a kiss into your palm.

The rest of the drive was spent talking about wedding details, who to invite, and where to do it. Rossi's house seemed like a perfect place to have a wedding, seeing that he had an affinity for throwing them.

Aaron was adamant about getting to choose two things about the wedding, he wanted to choose the engraving for the rings and the song for your first dance. Which you happily gave to him, most fiancés aren't too keen on helping with weddings.

When you and Aaron got home, the two of you picked up Jack and grabbed dinner for the three of you. He told Jack about wedding plans, and he was thrilled, very excited to be in the wedding.


	48. Chapter 48

**Three Weeks Till the Wedding**

A week after the case in New York, Aaron's ear was healed. Did he go into the field, like an idiot, even though he was told not to? Yes, but now his ear was completely healed.

You were in a tight wedding dress, that was uncomfortable, surrounded by Emily, JJ, and Penelope. Penelope had found a way to get the entire dress shop empty for the three of you, which in the end, was nice.

"Oh. My. God!" Penelope started to squeal as you stepped out of the changing room, "I love it! You look like a _princess!!_ "

Emily and JJ, however, caught on to your wrinkled face, "Not the one?" Emily asked with a laugh.

It wasn't that you didn't like it, despite the dress being extremely itchy, it was too big and flouncy. It was a ball gown, with a huge skirt. You could barely walk, much less dance, or be within a three-foot radius of anyone. You wanted something less, well, extravagant. It was Penelope's pick, so you humored her, even though you knew that you wouldn't like it.

"It's too much dress, not enough me. I look like a shrimp under this much fabric." You explained, giving Garcia an apologetic glance.

JJ's was next, a mermaid line dress. It was nice, not quite your style, but better than the fluffy ball gown. The dress sat flush to your skin, from your breasts down to your knees. It was also long-sleeved, which you thought you would like, but it still didn't quite match your style.

Emily stepped up next, a giddy smile on her face as she handed the dress to you. It was an off-white dress with an A-Line skirt. The bust was lacy, and the skirt was made of layers of tulle with a slip on the bottom layer.

The shop attendant helped you into the dress, using clamps to pull it tight to your body. Just from the close-up mirror in the changing room, you knew that you loved it. When you walked out of the dressing room, you had small tears of joy in the corners of your eyes. Emily and Penelope gasped, while JJ's jaw dropped.

"This is the one." You said with a teary grin, looking around at the three women.

"You look gorgeous, absolutely stunning," Emily said, walking closer to you.

"You look like a princess!" Penelope squealed, for the third time that day.

"You look like a _bride_ ," JJ told you with a cheeky grin.

You looked into the full-length mirror in front of you, seeing the full dress in all its beauty. The dress fit perfectly, the corset top pushing your breasts up just the right amount.

"Oh! The shoes!" Penelope dived into her bag, returning with a simple pair of white heels. She had tried to convince you to wear a tall pair of silver sparkly heels, but they definitely weren't your style.

You lifted the bottom of the dress, giving her access to your bare feet. She slid them on, not bothering to clasp it around your ankle.

The three girls gawked at you while the seamstress pinned and clipped the dress, while her assistant took down measurements.

"Y/n, your phone is blowing up." Emily pulled your phone out of her purse and handed it to you.

Immediately, a grin spread across your face at the text messages on your screen.

_Aaron: Mistress, I'm lonely._

_Aaron: Please come back soon, I miss you so much._

_Aaron: Please let me touch myself, I'm so hard from the plug._

_Aaron: I want to be your good boy, but I need to touch so badly._

_Aaron: 1 image._

You turned your phone away from everyone, downloading the image and your eyes widening at the picture he sent. He was on his hands and knees, a purple gemstone nestled between his ass cheeks.

_Aaron: I need you to come, please Mommy. Please._

Before you had left for the dress shop that day, Aaron approached you about an idea. He had been feeling rather clingy since New York, and he wanted to try submitting to you. He had been struggling since the bombing and needed the release of control to feel grounded again.

Of course, you eagerly accepted the proposition, going over his limits and wants before placing a plug in his ass and leaving. Apparently, he was getting rather needy.

_Y/n: You look so pretty for your Mistress. I need you to keep your hands off, till I get home. It should only be a little longer._

Aaron immediately responded.

_Aaron: Please hurry, I miss you._

_Y/n: I know baby, Mommy will be home soon._

"Something interesting?" Emily asked, seeing the glint of lust in your eyes.

You quickly deleted the picture from the messages before turning the phone for her to see, you didn't have Aaron's consent to show the picture. Luckily, JJ and Penelope were busy talking to notice you and Emily gawking over Aaron's texts.

"God, that's hot." She mumbled, handing the phone back.

You grinned back at her, "He's had a plug in since I left."

Her jaw dropped, "My god. I wish I could see that."

You laughed, still keeping the picture from her. Aaron's mind was probably too clouded and deep in subspace to give clear consent. The two women that were helping you with your dress gave you a dirty look, but you couldn't be bothered to care.

An hour later, you were in your car on the way back to your house. You may have been being a little too cautious, taking the maximum time to get home to Aaron.

You gently opened the door, not wanting to alert Aaron to your arrival. And you were glad you were quiet because you heard a string of moans from the master bedroom. You quietly approached the room, peeking into the room to see Aaron's hand working his shaft, quickly.

His hips were wiggling on the bed, pressing down and shifting the plug in his ass. Your arousal started to grow, a puddle forming in between your legs.

You watched as he orgasmed, your name leaving his mouth in a whisper as he came onto his chest. Keeping your eyes locked on him, you roughly dropped the bag in your hand, a loud thud alerting Aaron to your presence.

He flushed a dark red and opened his mouth to speak, "Y/n, I-"

But you quickly cut him off, "Strike two."

You held up two fingers "You came without _my_ permission," You put one finger down, "And you neglected to address me correctly."

"I'm sorry, Mistress." He bowed his head, averting his eyes as he spoke.

"You definitely will be, on your knees." You ordered him, pulling the jacket of your shoulders. He hesitated, glancing down to the sticky liquid on his chest. You strutted over to him, gripping his hair in your hand, "On your knees, slut." You growled.

He quickly jumped to comply, sliding off the bed and dropping to his knees. The cold, white liquid on his chest started to slide down to his abdomen, making Aaron whine quietly.

"Stop whining, you brought this on yourself." You snapped, starting to remove your shirt and pants. His eyes widened as you slowly revealed your bra and panties. You walked around to the bed, sitting on the edge, "Face me."

He quickly turned around the rough carpet scraping on his knees.

"Tell me why you need to be punished." You told him, looking down at the top of his bowed head.

"I-" You used one finger to tilt his chin up, his desperate face looking up at you, "I touched myself, without your permission, and I came without your permission. Ma'am." He whimpered out.

"And?" You prompted him.

He closed his eyes when you shoved your fingers into his hair, "I- I didn't address you correctly."

You hummed in approval, shoving two fingers into his mouth, "What do you think you deserve for that?" You leaned down to him, your breasts threatening to spill out of your bra. His eyes darted to your breasts for a moment before locking back on yours, he didn't want to answer the question.

So you answered for him, "I was thinking fifteen strikes, to start. Five for each rule you broke." You watched as his face dropped and his eyes lit up, contradicting each other.

"On the bed, hands, and knees." You told him, pulling your fingers out of his mouth and placing a gentle clap on his face.

He scrambled onto the bed, his ass wiggling slightly with anticipation. You smoothed a hand over his ass, "What's your color, baby?"

"Green." His tone dripping with arousal.

You pressed down on the purple gemstone, his surprised moan gracing your ears, "I want you to count, and thank me after each one."

"Yes, Mistress." He responded, letting his head drop to the bed.

You pulled your hand away and let it hang in the air, you watched Aaron's breath halt. He was trying to anticipate the strike, but you held it there. When he exhaled the breath, you quickly moved your hand to spank his left cheek.

He let out a loud yelp, jolting forward and his head dropped to the bed. "One, thank you, Mistress." He spat out, his breath heaving You grinned and quickly struck the right, the yelp changing to a grunt.

"Two, that's two. Thank you Ma'am" Aaron gasped, lifting his face off the bed.

By the fifth strike, Aaron would let out a low moan and his hips would buck. He never held back on the noises, letting out every whine, moan, grunt, and whimper that he could muster.

"Ten! Thank you, Mommy!" Aaron groaned, pushing his face into the mattress and thrusting into nothing.

"Aaron, baby, color?" You stopped, seeing that he was already pretty sensitive and his erection had filled back up.

"Green!" He let out a mix between a moan and a yelp as your hand caressed the welts on his ass.

You leaned down and placed a few kisses on his shoulder, "You're doing so good, sweetie. Five more to go."

On the last five, you didn't hold back as much. You monitored his responses and only received positive feedback. Your arm would swing back, and then snap back down quickly, a slight whoosh in the air.

"Eleven, thank you so much, Mommy," Aaron grunted into the bedsheets. You quickly swooped down to grab his hair, pulling his face out of the bed.

"I want to hear every delicious sound you have to offer, don't muffle my entertainment." You growled in his ear, receiving a moan in response.

You did the last four in quick succession, not giving him time to count in between. He had almost no vocal response, his body only tightening under your hand and then relaxing once you finished.

"Twelve, thirteen, fourteen, and fifteen. Thank you, Mistress." He panted letting, his head drop back to the bed. If you had thought that he was in subspace before, now he was deep. He was pliant and malleable in your hands, able clay for you to mold and craft into the perfect submission.

You placed a gentle kiss onto each cheek, "You did so good for Mommy, such a good little boy." He keened at the praise, his limp body slumping down to the bed.

"What do you want Mommy to do next?" You offered him the choice, already knowing the answer.

He mumbled something into the bed, and his face flushed red. You ran your fingers through his hair for a moment, letting him revel in the sensation, before you gently pulled on the ends, "I need you to speak up, or you won't get what you want." You kissed his temple.

Still, he only flushed a darker red and pulled his bottom lip into his teeth.

You placed your hand on his face, using your thumb to pull his lip from the grasp of his teeth, "If you're not going to tell me, then you're not going to get what you want."

"I want you to fuck me." He said sheepishly, burying his embarrassed face into your side.

"My pleasure." You jumped off the bed, walking to your dresser and pulling out a harness and a dildo, as well as a bottle of lube.

When you returned to the bed, Aaron had the sheets fisted into his hands, apparently trying not to touch himself, "Such a good little boy, keeping your hands off for Mommy." You cooed, watching him grin at the praise.

"I need you to scoot up to the top of the bed for me." You ordered, watching his eyes darken as you slicked up the dildo attached to your hips. He quickly shimmied up to the bed, already spreading his legs for you.

You knelt in between his legs, grasping his sensitive cock and relishing in the guttural moan that ripped through his chest at the contact. Immediately, he was bucking his hips into your fist, desperate for a release.

When you pulled your hand away, he let out a whine and moved his hips to try and find your hand again. He stopped his movements when he felt your hand grip the butt plug. You gently pulled the plug out, a shiver of arousal making its way down your spine at his delicious moan.

"I'm going to ruin you." You leaned down and whispered in his ear before attaching your lips to his neck. Instinctually, he tilted his head away from you, giving you pristine access to his neck.

After sucking a few marks into his neck and chest, you kissed your way down his chest and abdomen. When you detached your lips from his body, he whined again, but he quickly stopped his noise.

You were crawling up to his head, letting your knees straddle his wide shoulders, your pussy dripping arousal on his bare chest. Gripping the base of the dildo, you used the tip to tease his lips, smirking when he darted his tongue out.

"If you're that eager, you can get to work." You told him, rising up from his chest to hover above his neck.

"Suck."

He gladly accepted the toy in his mouth, his motions filling the room with noise. You tilted your hips, pressing the dildo further into his throat.

"Such a good cock sleeve for me. You take my dick down your throat like a good whore." You praised him, gripping his hair tightly.

He was a moaning mess around the dildo, eagerly bobbing his head up and down the length of the toy. When his hands moved to grip your thighs, you immediately slapped them and pulled the cock out of his mouth.

As you were moving back down to his legs, you spoke, "You don't get to touch without permission. That goes for touching yourself _and_ touching me." You gripped his cock with two hands, one squeezing at the base and one swirling around the tip.

Removing your hand from his tip, you gripped your own cock, pushing it into his inviting asshole. You didn't want to go too fast, you hadn't used a strap on him in a while. A guttural moan left his mouth as you bottomed out in his tight heat.

You let your hand move up and down his length slowly, enough to keep him on edge but not enough to get him off. When he started to buck his hips, you knew that he was ready, but he wouldn't get his wish that easily.

Your hands pinned his hips down, "If you want me to move, you're going to beg for it like the slut you are." You growled, keeping your hands firmly on his hips.

Aaron hesitated for a moment, a red blush across his face, that wasn't from the nefarious acts you were doing. When you pushed your hips further against his, he folded.

"Please, Mistress! Please move, please let me be a good toy for you. Please, Mommy, please!" He whined, his eyes screwed shut with pleasure and embarrassment.

You grabbed his jaw, "Eyes on me, baby. Don't shut them the whole time. I want you to see how well your Mommy fucks you." His eyes shot open, a moan ripping from his chest when he made eye contact and you started to move.

Starting with slow, gentle thrusts, Aaron would lift his hips to meet your movements. When you picked up the pace, you pulled his whole body closer to you, giving you access to hit his prostate with your thrusts.

The moans that Aaron let out were angelic. They were like listening to a symphony. His hands were fisting the sheets, trying to keep his hands off your waist.

Without your prompting, Aaron started to beg and whine again, "Oh my god, Ma'am. You feel so good inside of me. I love the way you fill me up with your huge cock. Please, don't stop." You let out a breathy laugh as he begged, "I'm going to cum, Mistress

You continued your movements, but you gripped the base of his cock and prevented him from cumming. It was almost hard to keep your eyes on his pleading ones, wanting to desperately look down at your dildo fucking into him.

"You don't get to cum, till I feel that you've learned your lesson." You growled, leaning forward to wrap your lips around his nipple.

Your tongue flicked and caressed the nub, eliciting gorgeous moans from the man underneath you.

"Please! Mommy, it's too much." He whined, bucking his hips in search for relief.

"If it truly was too much, you know just how to get me to stop." You mumbled around his nipple.

He whined again, but he didn't use his safeword. You were feeling generous, so you started to slowly move your hand up and down his cock.

He started to wildly buck his hips, searching for his orgasm, even though he knew he wasn't allowed.

"Such a good little boy, holding it for me." You cooed, starting to speed up your thrusts, "Do you want to cum? Do you want to cum on your Mommy's cock?"

"Yes! Please let me cum! Please, I've been a good boy. I want to show you how good you make me feel." He begged in a shout, "Please, please, p-please."

You hummed, "You're close, I want to hear an apology."

"I'm so, _fuck_ , I'm so sorry for disobeying you. I'm so sorry, _fuck,_ Mistress." He started to spit out an apology, not even hesitating.

You smirked at the writhing man beneath you, "Go ahead, angel. You can cum." You sped up your thrusts again, and tightened your hand around his cock and jerked it faster.

"I'm cumming! Thank you, Mommy! Thank you for letting me cum! I love you so much, y/n!" He moaned in a shout, his cum spurting up onto his bare chest, mixing with his load from earlier.

You started to slow your hand and hips down, pulling him through his orgasm.

"Such a good little boy, you did so good." You cooed, halting your hips with the dildo still inside of him.

Aaron was fucked out, his head flopping down to the bed. He was completely floating in subspace, only a low whine leaving his mouth as you slowly pulled out of him.

You dropped the dildo in the sink filled with water and wet a washcloth with warm water.

Quickly making your way back to Aaron, you cleaned the cum off his chest and gently cleaned his cock and asshole. He whined at every touch, so you were incredibly soft handed.

"Aaron, baby, you did so good for me. Do you want to take a bath, or just cuddle here?" You swiped his hair off his sweaty forehead.

"Cuddle." He mumbled, stretching his arms toward you.

You let out a little chuckle, before pulling the covers over both your bodies. You let him nuzzle into your body, his head settling on your breasts like a pillow. You hadn't even taken off your bra or underwear.

Aaron wrapped his arms around your torso, pulling you impossibly closer to him. You could tell that he was still floating in his subspace, his neediness and clinginess increasing immensely.

"I'm so proud of you, Aaron." You whispered, letting your fingers scratch his scalp and shoulders, "You did so good, you were such a good little boy for me." You kissed his temple.

"So," You kissed his cheek, "Good," You kissed his nose, "For," You kissed the space between his nose and upper lip, "Me." You kissed his lips deeply, letting him control the kiss.

He started to kiss down your neck, his left hand moving to your breasts and his right moving down to your panties. You grabbed his right hand, pulling it up, "Nuh-uh, this was all about you. I'm fine."

He pouted, "But-"

"No, I'm fine." You said shortly, pressing a kiss into his palm and then wrapping his arms back around you.

He huffed and pouted, but conceded. You drew shapes into his back and pressed kisses into his shoulders and neck, his content hums following your ministrations.

"I love you, y/n." He mumbled, impending sleep evident in his tone.

"I love you too, Aaron." You whispered back, pressing a kiss into his temple.

**Two Weeks Till the Wedding**

You, Jack, and Emily were milling around the mall. Emily was looking for a maid of honor dress, and you and Jack were looking for a present for Aaron, who was getting fitted for his tux.

Jack was holding on to yours and Emily's hands, which got the three of you some weird stares, but you couldn't bring yourself to care, "Alright, Jack, should we do Emily's dress first or your dad's present?"

"Emily's dress, I want to pick it out!" He declared while pulling you and Emily toward a dress shop. Emily and you giggled, as Jack ran over to a rack of dresses.

He was running his hands up and down the skirts of different dresses, feeling the different fabrics and beadings. You and Emily watched as he walked down the rack, tugging on the skirts of dresses until he landed on a dark purple dress.

"This one." He turned to look at Emily with big pleading eyes.

You laughed as Emily walked over to pull the dress off the rack. It was fairly simple, it reached the ground and it had a halter tie around the neck. Emily looked around for her size and switched it for her size. You and Jack sat in the seating area while Emily changed into the dress.

Jack squealed as Emily came back out in the dress, and your jaw dropped, "I don't think you can wear that, you'll look better than me." You walked toward her.

"Not possible, but I do agree that I look good," Emily said with a chuckle, looking in the mirror at the end of the room.

You were in awe of how good she looked, the dark purple contrasting against her light skin and her fully exposed back. You leaned forward to whisper in her ear while Jack was looking through the store again, "I might just have to marry you instead." You laughed.

"I don't think that Aaron would appreciate that, but I'd be happy to run away with you." Emily turned to face you, "Are you sure you're ready for this? Getting married to him?"

Emily was the first person to actually ask you that, so it caught you off guard. However, you were extremely sure in your answer, "I am. I've been in love with him for over a year, and I can't imagine life without him. Ever since New York, I've been scared to let him out of my sight, worried that he's just going to... _leave_." You let your eyes drop to the floor.

"I want to be bonded to him forever so that if something happens to him, I know that he'll love me no matter what." You let small tears well in your eyes.

Emily quickly swiped the tears from your face with her thumb, "That's beautiful. We all can see how much he loves you, we can see how in love the two of you are. I'm glad that you're ready for this because you guys are meant for each other." She told you, holding your face in her hands.

Jack broke up the sweet moment with a tug on Emily's dress, "Auntie Em, why is y/n crying?" He asked worriedly.

You knelt down to Jack while Emily went to change, "I'm just so excited to marry your dad, I got a little caught up in my emotions, that's all." You explained to Jack, pulling him in for a hug.

After you forced Emily to let you pay for the dress, the three of you headed to another store to get Aaron's present.

You quickly gathered the different items into a shopping basket, already knowing what you wanted to get. You lead Emily and Jack to the checkout, before separating into your different cars. Jack was ecstatic about giving Aaron his present, practically vibrating in the back seat as you drove home.

You were glad when you saw that Aaron was already home, not wanting to wait to give him his present. Normally, you would have waited till the wedding, but you wanted him to have it before the wedding. It was already packed into a gift bag, so you didn't have to bother about getting it wrapped without Aaron seeing.

Jack ran to find Aaron when you got into the house. He dragged Aaron back down to the living room, babbling about presents and the wedding.

"Y/n, you know I said no presents." Aaron scolded you jokingly.

You rolled your eyes, "And _I_ said that I didn't care. It's not a huge present, plus you'll like it." You told him, holding the bag out to him.

He chuckled as he took the bag and placed it on the table to start opening it. Inside was a straight-edge razor, a badger brush, a chrome shaving bowl, and a bar of shaving soap.

"A straight edge razor kit?" He asked excitedly, quickly making his way over to you. Aaron pulled you into a tight hug, placing a kiss on your lips.

"You like it?" You pulled away to ask.

A deep grin set in his face, "Yes! I've always wanted one." He pulled you in for another kiss.

"Ew, that's gross," Jack said with a disgusted tone and look.

You and Aaron broke away with a laugh and you quickly went to scoop up Jack. You placed a harsh kiss on his cheek and then little pecks all over his face.

He was giggling, but he still tried to squirm away, "Yuck, Mama! Stop, s-stop!" He managed to get out through an intense giggle, "Mama!!" He squealed as you tickled his sides.

Jack squirmed out of your arms and dropped to his feet, wiping his face off with his sleeves, "That's so yucky and gross, Mama." He pouted.

"I know sweetpea." You laughed with Aaron, "I'm sorry." You were still laughing.

He rolled his eyes and tried to hide his grin as he walked away. You chuckled and turned to Aaron, grabbing his hand. "What do you say we go test out your razor?"

"You want to watch me shave?" He asked, "Last time I shaved in front of you, you almost cried."

"That's because you were getting rid of your beard, your beard isn't grown out fully yet. And I don't want to watch, I want to do it." You clarified, "I want to shave you." You told him, moving your hand to let his long stubble scratch your fingertips.

He looked apprehensive, "You want to shave me? Do you even know how to use a straight edge?" Aaron eyed you questioningly.

"Actually, I do." You told him with a smirk, "Is it that hard to believe?" You wrapped your arms around his torso and let your chin rest on his chest.

He hummed, "I guess it's not. We can try, but if you cut me, I'm not getting married."

You beamed at him, grabbing his hands and walking over to the table to gather the shaving supplies, "Bold words for someone who's about to have a razor at his throat." You joked, but you stopped smiling when you saw his worried face.

"Aaron, I promise. I've done this many times for other men, I know how to do it. I would never be that reckless." You told him, gently cupping his face.

He nodded in your hands, "If you get uncomfortable at any time, just tell me. We'll stop, and you can finish it with whatever razor you want." You pressed a gentle kiss onto his lips.

"I trust you." He said surely, grabbing your hand and leading you to the bathroom.

You stood at the bathroom counter, starting to get ready to shave his face. You placed the bar of soap into the chrome bowl and poured a little water on top of the bar. Using the soaked badger brush, you swirled the brush in the bowl to work up a lather. You pulled out a bottle of beard oil and set it next to the bowl.

Aaron was watching you from the wall of the bathroom, still slightly nervous about the whole thing.

"Aaron, if you're uncomfortable with this, I don't have to do it. I know about your _aversion_ to knives." You told him, setting down the bowl on the counter.

He walked toward you, "I want to do this, I trust you fully." He said, placing a gentle kiss on your lips.

"Okay, but I need you to be vocal if there's something wrong." You jumped up onto the counter as you spoke, "Come stand in between my legs, it'll be easier." You patted your thighs.

He slipped in between your knees, letting his hands set on your waist, "If you want me to stop, squeeze my waist twice. It'll be better than speaking, so I don't accidentally nick you." You said as you pressed a warm cloth to his jaw.

You spent the next couple of minutes rewetting the cloth with warm water and pressing it to his face. Next, you poured out some of the beard oil and massaged it into his jaw. In the time you did that, his breathing evened out and his heartbeat started to slow. He was relaxing into your body, letting his hips press against yours.

"Okay, I'm going to apply the shaving foam, and then we're going to start." You said softly, grabbing the bowl and brush.

You swirled the brush across his face, jaw, and neck with your right hand, and placed your left hand in the middle of his chest, "I need you to keep taking those deep breaths for me." You whispered as you grabbed the covered blade.

He closed his eyes and took another breath, you uncovered the blade and spoke again, "I'm going to start on the right side of your face, my right." You clarified, his hands twitched around your waist, "Okay, you're going to feel the cool blade against your cheek and it's going to go down to your jaw." You narrated before you moved.

"Okay." He breathed, still keeping his eyes shut.

"Here we go." You turned the blade away from his face, anticipating a flinch from him.

And you were right, when you placed the dull back of the blade against his face, he flinched. "That was the back of the blade, it'll feel a little different when I use the sharp edge." You clarified.

He didn't flinch the second time you moved the razor, letting the sharp blade run down his cheek. Aaron's hot breath fanned across your face as you lifted the blade from his jaw.

"Good?" You asked.

"Good." He answered with certainty.

"Okay, we're going to keep going." You moved to shave another strip.

You carefully cut a clean line into his sideburn, the line even with his eyes. When you finished the right side of his face, he was holding tightly to your waist. It didn't seem like he was scared, just wanting to make sure he didn't move.

Using two fingers, you turned its head to access the left side of his face, "Alright, I'm going to do the left, and then I'll do your lip and chin. I'll do your jaw and neck last." You said softly.

"Okay." He whispered, letting his head turn to the right.

You repeated the same routine, shaving a line down his face and rinsing the blade under the faucet. When you got to his sideburns, you turned his face to look directly at you, making sure they were even before moving to his chin and upper lip.

Your left hand pulled his lip taught, while the other shaved off the hair on either side. Next, you pushed the tip of his nose up, pulling the center of his lip tight and shaving the stubble off. You shaved his chin, leaving the center strip.

"What do you say, soul patch?" You looked up at him and asked.

That pulled a laugh from him, "Absolutely not. Not ever." He squeezed your waist jokingly.

"Fine." You pouted, holding his jaw steady to shave off the last strip of hair.

"Okay, now all we have is the jaw and neck." You told him while rinsing the blade. You could feel his abdomen and back tense at your words, "Hey, I don't have to do this part."

"I want you to, I trust you." He placed a reassuring squeeze on your waist.

You rubbed more of the shaving foam under his jaw and then grabbed the blade again, "I need you to look up for me, baby." You tilted his head with your fingers, lightly.

"Are you okay?" You asked before starting.

He squeezed your hips to say yes, and you started at the edge of his jaw, pulling the blade down to where the hair stopped on his neck. Aaron's breathing would halt while the blade was on his neck, then he would breathe out for the next pass, then breathe in, out, in, out. Till you finished with his neck.

You used two fingers on his chin to tilt his head and search for any missed hair or cuts, "Not a scratch on that beautiful face." You said, rewetting the cloth and gently wiping down his face and neck.

Next, you got the cloth wet with cold water and pressed it two his face. Aaron hissed at the cold cloth, but you quickly moved it around his face to tighten the pores. Lastly, you generously applied a moisturizer to his cheeks, jaw, and neck.

"You did so good." You told him, rubbing your clean hands over his chest.

"Thank you, y/n." He leaned down to kiss you, "I enjoyed that more than I thought I would."

"Really?" You were shocked.

He nodded, "Yeah, I was a little nervous at points, but otherwise I was fine."

You kissed him, letting your arms wrap around his neck, "I'm glad, I guess we'll have to do it again."

Aaron hummed in response, letting his chin hook over your shoulder as he pulled you into a hug, "I can't wait to marry you, my love."

"I know, I can't wait either." You ran your hands up his spine.

**One Week Till the Wedding**

"Can I please come to the fitting?" Aaron begged from the bed as you got ready to leave. You had your final fitting for your wedding dress today.

You and Emily were the only one's trying on dresses. JJ, Penelope, Jack, and Rossi were all coming to the fitting though. Rossi had been fitted for a tux with Aaron when you went shopping with Emily and Jack, and Jack already had a tux that would work for the wedding.

"Absolutely not, you know the rule. Plus I doubt that Pen would let you within a block of the store." You grabbed your bag and walked over to the bed, "You'll see it for the first time, as I walk down that aisle, on my way to marry you." You kissed him gently and left the room.

"Jack!" You shouted down the hall, and Jack's head popped out of his room, "You ready to go?" You walked down to his room.

He stepped out of his room with a grin and took your hand, "Yes, I'm very excited." He started to pull you out of the house.

The drive to the shop was quick, and yet again, Penelope had rented the whole shop for the six of you.

Once everyone was there, you and Emily got dressed into the two dresses and your shoes for the wedding. Emily went first, letting you take the grand finale. You could only hear the group's gasps and hoots as Emily most likely strutted around the dress shop.

"Alright, y/n! Your turn!" Emily shouted, standing with the rest of the team to see you in the dress.

You hadn't looked in the mirror in the changing room, wanting to see the final product for the first time in the big mirror. You took a deep breath and walked out of the room.

The team was standing in front of the mirror so you couldn't see the dress, just their wowed expressions. JJ and Penelope's jaws dropped and Emily was squeezing Jack's hand, what you didn't expect was the tears welled in Rossi's eyes.

"Dave." You breathed with a watery smile

"Bella, sei bellissima, my stellina." Tears dropped down his face as he walked up to you and kissed you on the cheek.

You laughed through your happy tears, "Thank you, Dave." You kissed him on the cheek as well, "Can all of you move now, I'd like to see what the dress actually looks like." You waved your hand so they would move.

A smile spread its way across your face at the dress. The dress looked like it was molded to your skin, it fit perfectly. The corset back pushed your breasts up and the skirt landed gracefully on the ground.

You held your hand out, "Em, come here." And Emily accepted your hand and stood next to you. You grabbed Jack and lifted him into your arms, "What do you think, sweetpea?" You asked, looking at Jack through the mirror.

"I love it, Mama." Jack wrapped his arms around your neck, "Do I get to dance with you at the wedding?" He asked.

"Of course, buddy. I'll make sure I dance with you, _way_ before I dance with your dad." You pecked him on the cheek, and he wiped the mark off his face immediately.

"Gross." He mumbled.

After making sure that the dress fit properly, you and Emily changed back into your clothes. Emily was in charge of getting your dress to Rossi's house, and Dave was in charge of the rings. Your dress, packed up in a bag, was handed to Emily and she packed both dresses into her car.

The six of you were meeting up with the rest of the team, which was just Aaron, Spencer, and Derek, for lunch. So you drove Jack to the restaurant and met up with Aaron.

He gave you a chaste kiss, "How was the fitting?" He asked as he picked up Jack.

"It was great, it looks amazing." You told him, "Right Jack?"

Jack's sleepy head nodded on his dad's shoulder, "Guess he's tired." Aaron laughed and rubbed his hand on the tired boy's back.

Once everyone was seated at the table, you got their attention. Standing at the end of the table and holding Aaron's hand, you spoke to the team, "I just wanted to thank everyone for coming. We are so grateful to have all of you here. You guys mean more than you know to the two of us." You were working hard to keep the hitch from your voice.

"Dave, we're so glad that you're allowing us to have our wedding in your backyard, and I'm eternally grateful that you agreed to walk me down the aisle." Your words caught in your voice, and Aaron took over.

"All of you have been so supportive of our relationship, and we are very excited to stand in front of all of you to declare our love for one another." His words also hitched, and he pressed a kiss into the back of your hand as the two of you sat down.

The team clapped for the two of you as you sat down, kissing each other chastely on the lips.

"I love you, Aaron." You whispered.

"I love you, y/n." He whispered back.


	49. Chapter 49

To say the least, the night before your wedding with Aaron was anything but quiet. Jessica had been extremely kind in her offer of taking Jack for the night, and you and Aaron were spending the night in Rossi's home. Alone.

Rossi also informed the two of you, with disgust, that the house would be completely cleaned first thing in the morning. So, after getting over the slight awkwardness, you and Aaron spent the night reigning in your wedding day.

In the home theater, kitchen, guest room, couch, library, and shower, to name a few of the destinations. In the end, you and Aaron ended up down at Dave's pool at two in the morning.

Luckily, the pool was heated, so you and Aaron weren't chilled to the bone. It started with a naked, heated make-out session by the side of the pool. Without warning, you rolled Aaron off of you and into the pool.

While you doubled over in laughter you didn't realize that Aaron's wet hand was grabbing you and pulling you into the pool with a yelp.

After the two of you came down from your laughter, your legs wrapped around Aaron's waist. His arms wandered your body, moving up and down your spine or taking a brief moment to settle on your ass.

Instead of pulling you into a heated kiss, Aaron let his warm eyes stare into yours. You let your hands caress his face, his freshly shaven face smooth under your fingertips. Your touch was light, almost imperceivable. His lips passed under your fingers before they traced up the center of his nose. Next, his eyes closed as you gently swiped over the lid of his right eye.

"I love you, more than anything in the world." You whispered, feeling the cave of his dimples under your touch.

He didn't respond, just pressed a gentle kiss into your passing hand.

"God, I never want this to end. I just want to stay in this moment forever." You let your hands brush over his jaw and down his neck. Aaron started to mirror your movements, when your hands traced down his chest, his did the same.

When your hands brushed over the scar on his hip, he moved his hand to brush over the scar on your chest. Your nails scratched lightly down his back, and he did the same to yours.

"I love you, y/n. You are my everything." Aaron finally spoke, letting his thumb pull at your lower lip.

After twenty minutes, the spring chill set in. The two of you quickly made your way back inside, thanking your foresight to bring down robes from the suite in Rossi's house. You and Aaron jumped into the shower, washing off the chlorine and chemicals from the pool.

He used a washcloth to clean your body. You were expecting it to be an erotic or sexual action, but it wasn't. It was slow and intimate, his hands tracing every inch of your body. He knelt down on the floor of the shower and propped your foot upon his knee. The washcloth started at your ankle and worked up to your hip, all the while Aaron kept his eyes completely on you.

As he switched to the other leg, you let your hand cradle his head, your nails scratching his scalp. After he was done with your legs, you bent down to place a gentle kiss on his lips. He gripped the back of your head, deepening the kiss and pulling you down to your knees with him. Aaron's lips kissed down your neck as the warm spray of water covered the two of you. He kissed onto your shoulder and then hooked his chin over your shoulder, pulling you into a tight hug.

It was like you didn't have to say 'I love you'. The two of you had said those words to each other more in the past weeks, every passing remark or greeting was the declaration of your love. He would let his hand sit on your shoulder for a moment while the team delivered the profile or his fingertips would draw shapes on your thigh while on the jet. Aaron's pinky always found yours; in the elevator, police precincts, the dinner table. Even at night, when the two of you would separate from each other in your sleep, you would wake up with your pinky enclosed in his.

You spent every fleeting moment with your mind wrapped around him, every thought and nerve would focus on him. It was distracting, almost intoxicating. His smell was like a drug, the earthy tones of coffee on his breath, and the fresh scent of citrus from his aftershave. You could get lost in the low tone of his voice or the warmth of his brown eyes. His light brown eyes mirror the color of honey, you swear that you could almost taste the sweetness.

His cheekbones sat high on his face, his cheeks having a slight hollow as they sloped up to them. You had every inch of his body burned into your memory. The silver scars on his abdomen from Foyet and the pink scars on his back from Briza. He would never shy away from your touches or gazes to the marks, which you found yourself doing a lot. It took him off guard at first, when he was laying on his chest and your fingers and lips were tracing over the puffy scars or when you placed gentle kisses across the scars on his abdomen. But he quickly learned to love it.

The two of you loved each other, and it was more than evident to anyone that saw you with him. He would always have his eyes on you or keep his body turned toward you. Aaron loved you, fully and deeply, and you knew it. You loved him the same way, with your whole heart, and it never faltered.

You couldn't help but think back to the first time you said the words to him.

_"I didn't know if it would be weird to get you it, but Emily seemed to think you would like it. She helped me get the right size and color, which she made a lot of comments about while she did so." He confessed, the worry melting off when he saw the smile on your face._

_"It's not weird, and I love it. Thank you, Aaron Christopher." You said, giving him a deep kiss._

_When he pulled out of the kiss, he spoke, "Aaron Christopher?" he asked with an arched brow._

_"What? I like it, it has a nice ring to it." You said with a laugh._

_"I've never really liked it, but it sounds good when you say it." He said, pulling you into another kiss._

_In that moment, you were completely enveloped in him. All traces of worry and fear disappearing from your mind. All pain in your body melted away, your mind only focusing on the man in front of you. You could only feel the slight scratch of his beard, and his lips pressed against yours. You could only feel him. In that moment, you realized how much you really loved him._

_Aaron pulled out of the kiss to speak._

_"I love you, y/f/n y/m/n."_

_Before you could back out, you spoke._

_"I love you, Aaron Christopher."_

_He wasn't expecting a response, almost used to the silence that followed his words. His eyes widened and his jaw dropped slightly. He pulled you back in, the kiss filled with lust and love. You kissed him back, letting your tongue graze against his._

_"I love you, y/n. I love you."_

_"I love you too Aaron, I have been waiting so long to tell you that. I love you so much."_

"What were you just thinking about?" Aaron asked, laying across from you in bed.

"How much I love you." You immediately responded, letting your hand brush through his hair.

He hummed and pulled you closer to him, your head nestling into his neck as his heartbeat and deep breathing lulled you to sleep.

-

You woke up to the loud knocking of Penelope, at the sharp time of ten in the morning. With a groan, you cuddled into Aaron and yelled toward the door, "Five more minutes, _mom_."

Penelope didn't like that, so she walked straight into the room. What she wasn't expecting was your naked and exposed torso, "Oh god, y/n! I'm so sorry!" She screamed, covering her eyes.

"That'll teach you to knock." You said with a laugh, reaching down to grab Aaron's dress shirt from the floor, "Okay, I'm decent."

She looked you up and down, "Not really, your practically naked, but no mind. We've got to start getting you ready."

"What? It's ten in the morning, the ceremony is at five. We have like six hours to get ready and one hour to make sure everything is ready." You whined, throwing a set of lounge clothes to a semi-naked Aaron on the bed.

"Yes, but we need to get your hair in curlers and get your nails done." She explained, handing you a pair of shorts she apparently thought you needed, "Plus, we've got to get you ready in time to take pre-wedding pictures."

You groaned, walking over to Aaron and flopping down on the bed, "Give me a half-hour, I'll meet you in the kitchen." Penelope nodded and quickly left the room.

"You know, you don't sound very excited to do this." Aaron's tone carried a smile.

You rolled on top of him, sweeping your hair out of his face, "I _am_. I just wasn't expecting the ten a.m. wake up call, we were up late." You said before kissing him.

"Hmm, yes we were. I'm sure that Garcia could work with your sleeping body, she'd probably find it easier," He mumbled, letting his lips ghost over your neck, "Plus you'll have Emily and JJ there, and probably Rossi. Hell, I wouldn't be surprised if everyone went to talk to you instead of me."

"That's a lie, as much as Reid and Morgan love me, they don't want to get mixed up in the storm that is Penelope and JJ doing hair." You sat up, letting your knees straddle his hips. Your hands lingered on his chest, the small patch of hair tickling your fingers, "I'll make sure you get lots of attention. I'll send them over for a quick check-in every hour."

His morning voice mixed with a laugh was like a drug, "They'll mope on over, say a quick 'hello' and then probably take Jack back with them."

"Aaron," You cupped his jaw, "They love you, more than you know. You're like a father to Spencer, Penelope, and JJ. Morgan idolizes you, though he wouldn't admit it, and you and Dave are besties."

"I know, I just think that they like you more than they like me." He mumbled, his eyes averting from yours.

You leaned into his eye line, "Absolutely not. Never. Not in a million years." You told him sincerely.

He reached up to hold your face, looking longingly into your eyes. You placed a hand on his chest of stability, bending down to kiss him, "I love you, Aaron."

"I should probably go down to the kitchen before the whole team barges in. I will see you under that alter, my prince. I will see you when I marry you." You kissed him again, letting his arms wrap around your body and pull you closer to him.

"I love you too, y/n." He sighed as you climbed off the bed.

You threw on the shorts that Penelope offered you, and buttoned a few more buttons on Aaron's dress shirt before blowing him a kiss and leaving the room. You padded down to the kitchen, humming a random song to yourself. The rest of the team was in the living room, giving you an arrangement of smirks. You had completely forgotten about the light hickeys on your neck, but you shrugged and pulled the collar down to give them a better look.

"Get a good look now, because I'm sure that Garcia will be covering them for the ceremony." You smirked with a laugh.

"I take it you had a good night." Emily mused from the couch, her hand was sitting nonchalantly on JJ's thigh, but you didn't say anything.

"You could say that." You said with a grin, "I hope that Dave doesn't have cameras, otherwise he might be moving out."

The team laughed, and you were grateful that Dave wasn't in earshot. Penelope's clicking heels alerted you to her approach.

"Alright, for the next few hours, you are mine!" She told you with an excited grin, "Ladies, let's go. Men, you can come if you want."

Penelope lead you, JJ, and Emily up to a large room in Dave's house. It had four vanity's, and three dress bags hanging on a rack. Pen had placed herself in charge of your hair and JJ in charge of Emily.

"There are two nail techs coming at one to do everyone's nails, so we need to get two of you into curlers and robes before then." Penelope's words were rushed and peppy.

"Penelope." You said slowly, "It's almost eleven, we have more than enough time to do that. Take a deep breath for me."

She rolled her eyes, "We're the ones supposed to keep you calm, not the other way around."

You sat down in a comfy chair, curling your knees to your chest, "I'm not nervous, I don't think I've ever been more sure about something in my life." You told them with a shiver, "God, why is it so cold?"

They gave you a weird look, "Well if you were wearing more than a pair of skimpy shorts and a button-down, you might be warmer." Emily said with a shrug, discarding her jacket.

You rolled your eyes at her as Penelope spoke again, "If you put on the _embroidered_ robe we got you, you wouldn't be so _cold_." She scolded as she patted a chair in front of a vanity, "Come put the robe on, and sit while I get your hair into curlers."

You excitedly got up from your chair. Although you were hiding it, you were extremely excited to get pampered by Penelope and JJ. You scurried over to the chair, slipping the robe on before sitting down in the chair.

Two hours later, she had your entire head of hair wrapped up in curlers and had started on her own. You were, as the bride should be, in charge of the music. So, as JJ and Penelope were curling their hair with curling irons, you and Emily were dancing around the room in a waltz.

"If you knock out your curlers, I'll kill you." Penelope scolded from her seat at her vanity.

Right then, you heard a knock on the door, "That's probably the nail techs, but Em should get it just in case it's the groom." Emily nodded and made her way over to the door.

"You know, the groom has a name." You told Garcia as you watched two women walk into the room, pulling rolling kits behind them.

They started with you and Emily, applying medium length white acrylics to your nails and long purple acrylics to Emily's. When they finished, it was close to two in the afternoon, and you felt a wave of nerves wash over you, settling with a pinch in your stomach.

Emily noticed, and pulled you away from the group to talk, "You good? Your posture alone just changed dramatically."

"First, stop profiling me. Second, I just got a little nervous and excited for this evening." You explained, your hand drifting to your abdomen absentmindedly. Emily still gave you an apprehensive and accusing look.

"I know that I'm still profiling you, and you can reprimand me later, but that's not all. Your hand on your abdomen, which you never do. _Are you pregnant?_ " She asked in quite a loud whisper.

You scoffed immediately, "No, I'm not. I don't know how to explain it, but when the nerves hit, I felt a weird ping in my stomach." You started to explain, "It's never happened, but it's probably just nerves and excitement for tonight."

She nodded, "That makes sense, last time I was in Aaron's room he was in just about the same state. A mess." She tacked on the end with a laugh.

You laughed and walked back over to your vanity, shaking off the nerves and just focusing on the excitement. You went through your face routine, applying different moisturizers and serums to your face.

Penelope came back over to you as soon as her nails were done and forced you to sit back in your chair and let her do your makeup. She took her time, gently applying a light layer of makeup, just to enhance your looks. You applied a light lipstick and water-proof mascara after she was done before you sat back down to let her do your hair.

Throughout the process, Dave, Spencer, Derek, and Jack would sporadically pop in. They would mingle and chat, before going back to Aaron. He was apparently trying to bribe them to let him see you.

JJ was at the same point with Emily, but you noticed a few more soft touches and lingering hands than normal. Not to mention, Emily couldn't take her eyes off JJ's through the mirror.

Once your curly hair was pinned up into an up-do, you glanced at the clock. It was four in the afternoon

"Pen, I'm assuming that you, Aaron, and Dave have been taking care of the fire's that I'm not currently seeing? Caterers, florists, guests, photographers, and all that?" You asked as she finished placing a few pins into your hair.

She nodded through the mirror, "Yep, more Aaron than anyone. He's been dressed for an hour and been touching up his hair every time he passes a mirror." Penelope set her hand on your shoulder, "He's so excited, you've got a perfect man waiting for you."

You smiled as you nodded, bringing in a shaky breath. Penelope gave you a worried look, but you quickly explained, "I'm just so excited, emotions and all. Ya' know?"

"I know." She said as she walked over to get your dress, "Final step to becoming a bride, _the dress!_ " She squealed as JJ and Emily came over a well.

JJ and Penelope turned around while Emily helped you into your perfect dress, pulling the straps of the corset tight enough to keep you covered. You held JJ's hands as Penelope helped you into your heels and Emily completely tightened the corset.

"You look like a goddess." Penelope finally spoke as they stepped back. Emily, while trying to obscure her grasp on JJ's hand, and JJ nodded along to her words.

They left you alone for a moment while they went to their separate areas to change. You looked into the mirror, almost not recognizing the woman in front of you. She was so pretty and perfectly done up. She looked like a bride, and you never thought you'd ever be a bride.

Emily was the first one at your side, her dark purple dress creating a beautiful contrast next to your beige one. Soon after, JJ and Penelope were leaving the room to get the photographer. JJ was in charge of keeping Aaron in his room, while Penelope grabbed Jack, Dave, and the photographer.

"Mama!" Jack squealed as he saw you, "You look so pretty!" He told you, as he wrapped his arms around your neck.

"You look as handsome as ever, sweetpea." You responded, trying to conceal the excited hitch from your words, "Are you ready to smile real big for the pictures?"

"Yes!" He kicked his legs and wiggled to get out of your arms.

Pictures seemed to be the easiest part of the day. You just had to look happy, which you were immense. It was a lot though. You took pictures alone, some with Jack, with Emily, with all the girls, with Dave. Spencer and Derek swapped out with Penelope to watch Aaron, they were keeping a constant watch on him to make sure he didn't get a peek too soon. Spencer and Derek lifted you onto their shoulders for a few pictures, and then they threw Jack up there too.

It was the most fun you had while taking pictures, a lot of laughing and, you were sure, lots of blurry pictures.

At four-forty-five, you were sequestered back into your room. You could hear a piano playing welcome music from the cracked window. Taking a quick glance, you saw a very excited Aaron and Jack standing under an arch of flowers. Butterflies filled your chest, as another wave of nerves swept over you, again settling with a pinch in your abdomen.

When there was a knock at the door, you assumed that it was Emily coming to get you, but you were pleasantly surprised to see it was Dave. But then you realized that Emily was probably already in place to start the wedding.

He gave you his signature smirk as he walked over to you, _"Bella!"_ Dave's voice cracked on the word, and you saw small tears in his eyes. He gave you a kiss on either cheek, before taking your hand.

"Are you ready? You've got a very anxious man waiting for you." He told you with a smile.

You took a deep breath, tears filling your eyes as you spoke, "I am very ready." You looped your arm around his as he started to lead you out the door. You took one last glance at you and Dave in the mirror.

You had a small ring wrapped around your pinky finger. The bar necklace that Aaron had given to you your first Christmas with him had broken, so you had it made into a ring. _Something old._

You had a small diamond encrusted hairpiece shoved into your up-do, gifted to you by Dave. _Something new._

Your veil was also from Dave. A simple thin layer of tulle, lightly covering your face. It was from his first marriage and swore that it would bring the opposite of what his first marriage was. _Something borrowed._

You had a simple gold necklace around your neck, little blue diamonds attached around the whole chain. _Something blue._

At Dave's tug on your arm, you continued down the hall, taking your time to maneuver down the stairs. Penelope and Emily were waiting for you, your bouquet already secured in Emily's hands. It was made up of purple and blue flowers, as well as a single red rose, reminiscent of your first date with Aaron. She handed it to you, tears already welled in her eyes.

"Damn, Prentiss. Crying because you didn't get the girl." You said through a watery chuckle.

"Yeah." She said with a laugh, a few tears slipping down her face.

You reached out to stop them from getting too far, "Hey, no tears. This is supposed to be happy."

"I am happy, these are tears of joy!" She scowled. You pulled her in for a hug, letting your nerves drop from your shoulders for a bit.

Dave cleared his throat uncomfortably, "Not to break up the moment, but I believe that's your cue."

He was right, the piano music had changed to 'Here Comes the Sun' which Aaron had insisted that it be played. You folded, saying that it would be the only Beatles song at the wedding. You let him be in charge of the music and the honeymoon, which you had no idea where it was.

Emily walked out of the house first, turning the corner and walking down the aisle. You couldn't see anything but the garden that bordered Dave's house. You tightened your hand around Dave's arm as you whispered, "Whatever you do, don't let me fall."

He chuckled as he started to walk. You were taking deep breaths, but nothing could prepare you for the sight of Aaron at the end of the aisle.

It took everything in you to not run down to him. From twenty feet away, you could already see the soft smile lines around his eyes and the small tears in the corners. The moment he saw you, his face light up, and his smile grew bigger. He had both his hands placed on Jack's shoulders, as he watched you walk down the aisle.

You took a moment to look at the small party of guests that had come. Spencer and Derek were standing next to JJ, Will, and Henry. Now you understood why Emily was acting so odd because it was obvious that JJ and she were still doing _something_ together. Erin Strauss was invited, more for Dave than for anyone else, but it was still nice to see her happy for once. Jessica and her husband were standing on the right with Strauss. You were also surprised to see Sean Hotchner standing within the group.

After that moment, you turned your focus back to the front. Emily was standing a few steps away from an already crying Aaron. He was wearing a very nicely fitting suit, his blazer, and pants a dark blue color, and his baby blue tie shone against his white button-down. There was a small, purple boutonnière pinned to his lapel. He looked so handsome as he watched you walk down the aisle. Aaron flashed you his signature grin as you got closer and closer. When you were right in front of you, Dave handed your hand to Aaron.

"Hurt her, and I'll kill you and make it look like an accident. And I can be sadistic if I want." He whispered in Aaron's ear.

You turned to face Aaron, tears falling down both your faces. He gently lifted the veil off your face, obviously fighting the urge to kiss you, "I love you." He whispered as you did.

"I love you too." You whispered back, before turning and handing your bouquet to Emily.

"You know, that's not really a secret." She murmured as you did. You rolled your eyes, "Yeah, well neither is you and JJ." You said as you pulled her into a hug.

With a smug smirk, you turned back to Aaron and the minister. The ceremony was short and simple, one of the only demands that you and Aaron had. You didn't want some drawn-out thing that people got bored during.

As the minister was talking, you and Aaron stood with your pinky's wrapped around each other, his thumb rolling the ring around your pinky. When it came time for vows, you reluctantly released his finger so that he could face you.

"Y/n, if I told you that when we first met, I knew that I would be standing here today, everyone would know it's a lie." He started, his voice shaking as his hands grabbed yours, "We had a rocky start, but I think that it just makes us work harder at this relationship."

"I told you, when I proposed, that I would spend every day showing you how much I love you. So, in front of all our friends, who basically classify as family, I want to vow to you, my love."

"I vow to give you back massages after long days. I vow to kiss you, even when I can barely open my eyes. I vow to do whatever it takes to make you the happiest in the world. I vow, to you and everyone, to love you to the ends of the earth." He managed to get through his speech with minimal words caught in his throat, but you had a feeling you wouldn't have the same luck.

The minister turned to you, signifying it was your turn.

"Aaron, first off, I love you. I haven't always loved you, but I _will_ for the rest of my life. You never fail to make me smile, or pick-me-up on a cloudy day. I love your son so whole-heartedly, and I can't wait to watch the rest of his life with you." Your words caught for the first time when you talked about Jack.

"Jack," You knelt down to meet his height, your voice catching hard as you spoke, "I know that you once had reservations about me, but this past year with you has been unimaginable. I love you so much, maybe more than your dad," That earned a laugh from Aaron and the crowd, "And I vow to never leave you, or your dad." Jack hugged you as you finished.

You stood back up to see thick tears running down Aaron's face. Without thinking, you cupped his face and wiped the tears off with your thumb, "Aaron, I love you with everything in me. I vow to go on long walks with you. I vow to dance in the rain. I vow to love you with the same fervor that you love me."

"I vow to never leave, to never run. I vow to always love you, no matter the cost. Lastly, I vow to try and make you as happy as you make me. I love you."

"I love you too, y/n." Aaron managed to choke out, his tears running down his cheeks again.

Next was rings, which Jack excitedly pulled out of the inside pocket of his jacket.

"I, Aaron Christopher Hotchner, place this ring on your finger to signify my everlasting and undying love for you." He said as he slipped a rose gold band, with small blue diamonds, onto your ring finger.

"I, y/f/n y/m/n y/l/n, place this ring on your finger to signify my everlasting and undying love for you." You choked out through tears, your fingers pushing the gold band onto his finger.

"Do you, y/f/n y/m/n y/l/n, take Aaron Christopher Hotchner to be your lawfully wedded husband?"

You smiled proudly at Aaron, "I do." You punctuated your words with a squeeze of your hands.

"Do you, Aaron Christopher Hotchner, take y/f/n y/m/n y/l/n to be your lawfully wedded wife?"

He pressed a kiss to your hand, "I do."

"You may now kiss the bride." The minister looked at Aaron with a smile.

Aaron grabbed your hips, pulling you closed to him, and just looked into your eyes for a moment. You let your hand drift up to his face, feeling the soft skin and his deep dimple. He wrapped his arms around your waist as he pulled you in for a deep kiss. You let your arms wrap around his neck, the sound of the crowd cheering sounded like a beautiful overture to your union.

When you pulled away, you whispered in his ear, "This is probably a bad time to tell you, we're just friends."

His low chuckle graced your ears, "Yeah, right. No turning back now, princess."

You bent down to pick up Jack, pulling him into yours and Aaron's arms, "Well, sweetpea, are you ready for that first dance?"

"Yes!" He threw his arms around you and Aaron, which earned lots of 'ooh's and 'awe's from the audience. You set Jack down, letting him run towards the dance floor set up around the corner of Dave's house.

Without warning, Aaron literally swept you off your feet. He lifted you into his arm, bridal style (obviously), and jumped over a broom laying on the ground. You didn't really understand it, but Dave insisted.

The crowd continued to clap as you and Aaron walked down the aisle. Penelope forced you and Aaron to take a few pictures after the ceremony, but you know that in the end, you would be grateful for the thousands of photos. After the quick photo shoot, which consisted of a lot of laughing and Aaron dipping you down to kiss you, the two of you walked over to the reception.

Dave was already standing rather close to Erin, which made you smirk. Spencer and Will were entertaining the kids while JJ, Emily, and Derek were talking. Jessica, her husband, and Sean were all in a small group off to the side They obviously felt out of place, but you were still happy to have them.

When they noticed you and Aaron, they restarted their round of surprise. You and Aaron made your way to your labeled table, as Emily made her wobbly way up to the small stage. She managed to get a few drinks in before the ceremony, and probably a few more after, so you were certain her speech would have a few hiccups and slurred words.

Aaron folded your hand in his as Emily grabbed the mic.

"Y/n and Aaron," She took a slight pause, "Hi."

She tried to stifle her laughter but failed. After taking a few deep breaths, she resumed, "I have known the two of you for a long time. I remember the countless times that y/n would come to my house after work and would absolutely trash Aaron." You blushed a deep red as Aaron turned his head to look at you, "And I remember when Aaron would complain about y/n's attitude and rude comments." Which didn't surprise you.

"But I also remember when y/n told me how much she loved Aaron. Or in the months before they got together, Aaron was already convinced that he was in love with y/n." That one did surprise you, your jaw-dropping slightly and your head turned to look at Aaron. He just shrugged in response, looking back to Emily as she continued to talk, "I've watched the two of you fall in love, and it's astounding, to say the least."

"You went from daily fights to daily make-out sessions. I'd say you did pretty good." Everyone laughed at her statement, and you and Aaron blushed slightly, "I wish the two of you a long life of happiness and love. To y/n and Aaron." She lifted her glass, as did the rest of the crowd.

Dave was next, and he promised to keep it short, not that Emily's was terribly long.

"I already told Aaron privately, but I will also do it publicly; If you hurt her, I will kill you in the most ruthless way I know." Aaron gave a nervous chuckle.

"If we're sharing stories, then I think I have the perfect one." He gave you a small smirk, "But, I think I'll save y/n the embarrassment. I wish the two of you everything and more. And if you ever need a sitter, _don't call me_." He raised his glass, "To y/n and Aaron." You and Aaron gave him a laugh before also raising your glasses.

"And now, I believe that it is time for the first dance," Dave said. You stood at his words, but you pushed Aaron back down in his seat. He gave you a confused look but understood when you grabbed Jack's hand.

"Are you ready, sweetpea?" You whispered, scooping him into his arms. He gave you a shy nod and wrapped his arms around your neck.

You swayed him back and forth to the slow-ish song, before anticipating a pick up in the tempo. When you placed Jack onto his feet, you grabbed his hands and danced to the upbeat song, "Alright, Jack, hold on tight." You told him, tightening your grip on his hands.

Once he was also holding your hands, you started to spin, letting his feet pull off the floor and his body fly in the air as you spun. After a few seconds, Jack was giggling and you were dizzy, so you sat him back down and gestured to Aaron.

"It's your turn now, my prince." You told him, grabbing his hands.

He pulled you into his tight embrace, your head lying against his chest, "I love you, y/n."

"I love you too." You leaned back to kiss him. He continued to sway you back and forth, the far off click of a camera capturing the moment. Suddenly, you felt another wave of nerves settle over your body. It ended with a sharp pinch in your abdomen, and at that moment you realized that the pinch was over your scar.

You actually winced at the hard pinch, but Aaron didn't pay any mind. As you continued to dance, you felt a coldness creeping at you. It started at your fingertips, starting to freeze its way down your arm.

"Aaron, I think something is wrong." You told him, keeping your voice low. But he just smiled at you and continued to dance. Another wave of cold washed over you, rolling from your toes and up your legs. You felt a harder pinch on your scar, almost like a _stab_.

"Aaron, seriously, there's something wrong." It was like he couldn't or didn't hear you, his mouth was moving but you couldn't hear it. He was smiling and laughing as goosebumps traced your skin.

You felt a crack in your fingers, blinding pain radiating down your arms. The air was getting colder, and when you looked around, no one was there. Your lungs were burning as you tried to bring in a breath.

Dave's backyard turned dark and the decorations were gone. When you looked down, you saw a red stain blossoming from your abdomen. You felt hard punches of pain on your shins, breaking through the harsh cold. There were scared tears falling down your face as you looked up to Aaron.

"I love you, Aaron. I'm so sorry." You whispered as the edges of your vision blurred. You watched in terror as Aaron's face faded into the darkness.

-

Everything was dark. Everything was cold. The only thing you could feel was pain. Pain in your stomach, back, knees, fingers, head. 

Pain in your heart. 

Right as you succumbed to the darkness, an old voice rang out from a distance.

_"This is the pain he caused you."_

Everything was cold and lonely. You missed Aaron's warm smile. You missed his embrace. You missed him. You couldn't bring yourself to open your eyes, terrified of what the sight would be.

_Fin._


End file.
